The problem is with how we approach education, our new understanding of how our brain works gives us insight into how we should be teaching and how we actually learn.
The current education system is not suited to how our brain works, and this is a serious problem that is still not getting the attention it deserves. Hell the way we are at work is also not ideal, yet we are very slow to consider and implement changes.
Give this book a read or a few of his videos, there is a lot of information out there for what works and what doesn't this is a good introduction to many of our problems, like how we learn, male/female brains are different, and things such as multitasking is a myth (sorry drivers who text.)
http://brainrules.net/
This is a simplified version of the problem between neuro-science and educators.