Imagine an education system in which every child went to a high-quality preschool. That child enters Grade 1 with confidence and already can do basic things like read an illustrated book, write her name and recite her address. In no time, this child can calculate and compute alongside reading a new book every other week. Every teacher in her school is qualified and the basic resources are available for teaching and learning.

Then, for some reason, the parents discover that this child would be excellent in one of the trades. She can fix things from an early age and by the time the child reaches Grade 9, the youngster can already repair basic household appliances. The family decides that the child will exit Grade 9 with a general education certificate and enrol in the nearby vocational and technical college...