You're conflating education with credentials. Imagine instead if every single individual could: read and write at a high level, think critically, compare loan

You're conflating education with credentials. Imagine instead if every single individual could: read and write at a high level, think critically, compare loan options rationally, perform their own limited legal research (tenants' rights, welfare eligibility and application), plan their own investment strategy for retirement, etc. It would be a huge boon.