I agree that there should be somewhat more emphasis on life skills. That said, there's value in simply learning, even if there's never going to be any practical application. Young minds need to be challenged and honed, and sometimes dealing with abstract and/or theoretical concepts is the best way to do that. I loved astronomy class, learning about the solar system and such, even though I had no chance then or now of actually leaving Earth. I understood why we learned geometry and calculus even though maybe one out of a thousand of us would ever actually use those skills. And we learned Shakespeare and poetry, which likewise have no real practical application.
I've known some people--adults--who are pretty damn good at handling the practical aspects of life and would definitely know how to fix your whatever when it broke or fill out a loan application or cook a pot roast. But most of those folks--they had no soul, or at least not one that was visible. When they looked at a tree, their only thought was: lumber.
I think we need artists and poets as well as welders and bankers.