As for how schools combated such issues? Well, the truth was most didn't. Curriculum was curriculum, one naturally had to learn it even if they might not need to know it later on. This was a matter of practicability. The majority of schools run by the state obtained their funding through the government, and the amount they received depended on their results in standardized testing, so naturally, even if a few teachers or directors found that certain elements were pointless, they could only continue teaching it.
Then, it mainly depended on one's luck and what sort of teachers and opportunities they ran into. Perhaps some teachers would go the extra mile and bring in all sorts of interviewees and guest speakers who had important life experiences for the students to speak to. Of course, many of these speakers, although inspirational on the surface, were all without substance and ended up feeling like a waste of time.
