This speech will help you see why academic grades alone are not enough to prepare you for real-world success and why hands-on experience, life skills, and apprenticeship should be essential parts of your education. By listening, you’ll be inspired to rethink learning as more than just passing exams, and start taking practical steps toward becoming truly ready for life beyond the classroom. This is Amatullah Abdulrahman, a 12-year-old speaker with a bold vision to transform education. She is on a mission to challenge the outdated systems that prioritise grades over growth, and to shift focus from rote learning to real-life readiness. Inspired by personal experiences and observations, she advocates for an education system that values life skills, hands-on learning, and apprenticeships as much as academic achievement. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx