"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education" (Albert Einstein). Einstein history and literature academic score were very low and he passed his exams only out of an exceptional grade in physics. When he had to learn historical dates, he was just dreaming about what would be seen if he was following a beam of light.

Without teacher, Blaise Pascal rebuilt all the mathematics from scratch and invented the first mechanical calculator. "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education" (Mark Twain).

Despite all the shortcomings, the school system still provides child care and some education. But why so little education? What is really happening at school? The system is such that it results in classifying and segregating children by age and ability, reinforcing class. The slow understanding children, like Albert Einstein, are left behind. So many successful business men have no degree because the school rejected them. On the opposite side of the spectrum, smart children get bored quickly because it is not enough challenging and it is too unorthodox to skip grade and jump ahead two or three grades. The current setup of the school system is following a policy of closed doors, so much away from the real life that educators felt the need to invent the "field trip" to compensate and reconnect. The philosophy behind the school system is more like cattle management on a large scale. So the result is of course average cows, trained only in superficial skills with short term survival objectives; not much is done in depth or scope of education. Imaginative people and unusual skills are not fed intellectually. Unfortunately, real Education is requiring a much more customized and dedicated care in order to reveal and develop all the potentials of the child.