There is a difference between a simple basic education which would be required, and a more extensive one.

for the average minimum wage worker, elementary education is in a sense superfluous.

I'm nto saying that education can't be beneficial, but as it is, it doesn't teach anything of practical use. What real world scenario requires one to be adept at poetical analysis, what real world scenario requires the average person to be able to identify Machiavellian policies within a society?

The more intelligent can and do learn on their own, yet to me it seems the schooling is used more to associate individuals with work more so than learning.