Not so long ago government schools were only in the news when children fell sick after a midday meal, or for their poor infrastructure, or for students being deprived of quality education. Government schools in Delhi were no different. To bring them out of this muddy puddle, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders worked rigorously, aiming to not only improve the condition of such schools, but to bring them on par with top private schools.
Five years later, the party’s hard work paid off. Since independence and till 2015, government schools in Delhi have had 17,000 classrooms. During its tenure the Aam Admi Party government developed nearly 22,000 new classrooms and changed the dimension of the education system in Delhi. Among the major contributors to this journey was Atishi Marlena Singh, member of the party’s Political Affairs Committee. She worked closely with the state’s Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, in the capacity of an advisor.
Under her supervision, the infrastructure of schools was greatly improved. She was involved in organising parent-teacher meetings and in strengthening regulations on private school fees to revive Delhi government schools. She was instrumental in shaping the Happiness Curriculum and in developing the Teacher Development Coordinator Programme in Delhi schools. Singh was responsible for addressing the UN Sustainability Development Goal for ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.
Singh is a politician, educator, political activist and a legislator from Delhi. She strongly believes that education is an investment for the future. Atishi Marlena Singh has done a remarkable job in improving the education system in Delhi. When asked about the qualities of a leader in the entrepreneurial era, Singh said, “One should have perseverance, ability to take risks, build a team. Despite the situation, it is the leader’s responsibility to take people along while performing a task.”
Singh says she is able to stay focused on her goals, because she does not allow her surroundings to distract her. She lost the Lok Sabha Elections 2019, but won the Delhi Legislative Assembly elections 2020 by a higher margin, to be an elected member of the state Assembly from the Kalkaji constituency in South Delhi. During her last tenure, she spearheaded the flagship Mohalla Sabha Project for the government of Delhi, along with her commendable work in the development of the state’s education policy.
A graduate from Delhi University, Atishi Singh did her masters from Oxford University. After she returned to India and before joining AAP, she taught in a private school in Andhra Pradesh and worked with a non-government organisation focused on public policy.