You’re right; students should be doing this stuff while they are students at university and doing this during the summers instead of messing around partying.
If you cut out summer breaks, kids could graduate HS at 8th grade and spend the next four years pursuing college courses, internships or working. You could be graduating college at 18/19 and starting work at 20 with a ton of experience. Our education system is designed to benefit teachers and bureaucrats.