There's a theory called MI (Multiple Intelligences). It states that virtually each person has some strength intelligence-wise, and that education should use this strength in educating that child. Verbal-linguistic and logical-mathematical are only 2 of the 9 known ones.

I was lucky enough to be in a state run experimental school where students picked curriculume and no one dropped out eveybody graduated !

please excuse my (T.B.I.)

I think education should adopt the principle: First, do no harm. By which I mean, Don't kill the kid's spirit.

This would naturally mean that students uninterested in academic studies should be able to do something else.