The Branded Education

There is no debate on the idea that education is a crucial element in a child’s life. Parents strive hard to provide high quality of education they can afford for their children and look out for the best institutes which can deliver it. The same mindset is transferred to children who later aim for admissions to top colleges and universities to make their future bright. But this entire chain poses some serious questions on the idea of ‘Top Institutes’. Foremost, does this imply that good education is only available in these so-called ‘Top Institutes’? What is the supporting evidence that they are top institutes while others are not? Are they accessible to every student alike given their premium fee structures? And what about those who go to other institutes to pursue their education? Are they destined to stay inferior throughout their lives?

In her article published in Dawn, (Fatima, 2011) also expressed her concerns over this idea by referring to it as a psychological tuning of parents by schools who have branded themselves as some of the finest but fail to deliver their promises in return. She argues that these schools induce exclusivity by charging heavy premiums, shortlisting only A graders, and opening admissions for a limited period. Over-riding these promises, students eventually end up with extra tuition to cover their syllabus. These schools, she says, play on the idea of ‘Brand Psychology’ to influence parents and manipulate their choices.

Although the article of discussion in not very recent, the idea is still valid and prevalent in society. Selecting an institute for the child is a heavily influenced notion based on the perceived image of the institute rather than the delivery of its objectives. In contrast, there are many stories to believe that students who graduate from other institutes bear similar capabilities to prepare themselves for the future. Even some students go beyond average and achieve higher ranks in their professional lives compared to graduates of elite institutes.

The main idea to convey through this article is that we as a society have to stop glamourizing education. The buzz words ‘Top Institutes’ and ‘Best College’ are mere marketing strategies induced by these very institutes to influence the mindsets of the public. Not to say that these institutes are bad, but research needs to be done, beyond glamour, before reaching any conclusion. Many institutions have dedicated marketing departments that propagate this mindset of being top through their campaigns and PR activities, which resonates to activities of Brand Promotion in marketing. A good education can also be available in low-branded institutes that might look like low-tier but are more focused on their mission. Although there can be other dimensions to justify these fancy institutes but to the extent where education in terms of teaching is concerned, the same article has also suggested that these institutes don’t seem to have been doing satisfactory job, as students of concerned institutes seek tuitions regardless.

Moreover, beyond the choice of institutes, the receiver, i.e., the student here, has a major role in deciding how productive education is in his/her life. It also eventually becomes evident in their professional careers where the market may not immediately provide equal options to all but is brutal enough to soon identify the right person for the job.

Bibliography
Fatima, S. (2011, September 10). Branded-Education: Dawn.com. Retrieved from Dawn wesbite: https://www.dawn.com/news/657984/branded-education

Author: Danial Pirani