Why We Should Include Marketing In School Curriculum

Marketing As A Subject?

Marketing was being offered in my school as an optional subject for 11th and 12th grade students. It’s been 3 years since my high school graduation. And I’ve recently learnt that marketing is no longer offered as an optional subject. As a marketing pursuer who benefitted from the subject, I wondered if marketing should be a mainstay in school curriculum. Here are my thoughts:

Uncover The Hidden

Marketing is an influencing tool of business that could be influencing us right now but we are not aware of it. The nature of marketing is to persuade potential customers which is smart in its own sense. But the customers in context should be aware of the persuasion.

As a potential customer, we need to understand how marketing works and how we are being persuaded. It enables us to be more aware of the potential danger that may be lurking within the product/service that is being promoted to us. This is important because marketing can reduce the severity of a dangerous product. An example of a potential harmful product are the mobile gambling/betting apps. They have destroyed the financial stability of many Indian families. Due to which the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) issued a guideline to the apps in 2020. A disclaimer about the potential financial risks and addictiveness of the game was later displayed in the games.

On the brighter side, understanding marketing help us appreciate the creativity of promotions. It can also help create a positive image of the company or product/service. How many times have you smiled at a funny notification from Swiggy or Zomato? the answer would be quite many times. Sometimes it would have even encouraged you to share it with your friends.

Evolving Skills Accompanied By Evolving Curriculum

Marketing is a field that is ever evolving and so are the skills required. Certified courses help in developing majority of the skills needed for marketing. But schools can develop some ground level skills such as content writing. Schools develop writing as a skill in language subjects. But a dedicated marketing subject would optimize writing skills for marketing. A suggestion could be to include article writing on a marketing related topic on a weekly basis. Content writing is a necessary skill today for a marketer which schools can boost early on.

Schools can also develop decision making and problem solving as a skill. Case studies and interactive class sessions can help develop these skills. Students could also provide their own inputs. Case studies offer an insight into the evolution of marketing over the years to the students. They also discover interesting and creative ways marketers have solved problems. These skills are not only applicable in marketing but a necessary one for most of the job fields.

With these skill developed, students get a peek into the big yet interesting world of marketing. Students pursuing marketing are also given a good head start to pursue their career. These skills also enables them to progress well in other marketing related courses.

Learnings From My School

My school offered marketing as an optional subject for 11th and 12th grade students which I enrolled in. The syllabus taught was good enough to gain knowledge about the basics of marketing. I started loving the subject mid way through my 11th grade. This subject is one of the reasons I am pursuing a career in marketing. The syllabus was theoretical in nature with few practical elements to it. I’d have loved if the syllabus had more practical elements to it. But nonetheless, I’m grateful for my school for offering the subject in the first place.

Since the marketing syllabus in college is similar to my school’s syllabus, my basic grounding of marketing was helpful. It was also helpful when I took up online marketing courses which upgraded upon my existing basic knowledge.

A Note To The Education System

Marketing is always growing and there is no signs of slowing down. It is a field which favors those who can make creative content and those who can solve problems. Schools can develop these skills and give a good head start to marketing pursuers. Educating people about marketing activities is also important. It enables them to identify potential danger in the product/service which is being promoted. A Marketing subject should be implemented as a skill improving subject and not as a theoretical subject alone. Hopefully in the near future this possibility becomes a reality.