Do you think that every lesson in school is important? In our country it is obligatory school for 9 years, then a students can choose between vocational school ( get a profession) or 3 more years in school. Observing what children learn during first years, I have doubts that 12 years in school are really that necessary. When I was at school, in first grade we were learning letters, numbers and how to write - basics. Now, children that go to first grade must already know how to read, write, substract and add to 20. They end first grade knowing multiplication table. I think school is running forward with todays teaching. Add that not every lesson is so necessary. I totally dont use knowledge in music, drawing, chemistry I have learned. For example I have been learning chemistry for 6 years at school, but despite H20, NaCl, H2SO4 and CO2 dont remember anything, and I doubt that I would use anything that I could have learned.
It's too reduce the risk for students who don't know what they want and what they have to learn.
I think almost all students doesn't know what they want and what they want to be, hence they learn all in order to have basic, at least it's not as hard as starting from zero. I agree not all lesson in school are important, many of them are just a requirement for the students to finish the school.
I think children pay attention their parents and relatives professions and that is their base for who they want to be in future. They are flexible, but when they are +/- 14 yo, they have several options who they want to become. I would be happy if I had chance to replace several lessons that I had for years with useful skill or get some experience. Today, school look more like a place where parents leave children while they are at work (because there are no other option), than a place where children learn something useful all the time, all those years.