Back when I was a manager in (UK) Industry I had two young(ish), new graduates working with me for a while. They were both highly ambitious - but not particuarly talented (I'm sure they're both doing very well now!).

At the time we were engaged in a project which was to last for 3 or 4 months. I was writing regular interim reports on this project so that senior management could be kept abreast of developments. The two graduates were continually pestering me to let them write a report (presumably so that they could get themselves 'noticed'). I was a little reluctant to let them do this as their writing was of a fairly poor standard. At the end of the project I relented and asked them to have a go at writing the final report - but asked them to let me review it before it was published.
I was shocked at the result! They had merely taken one of my interim reports and substituted the latest figures into it; there was no sign of recommendations for futher work or a conclusion to the project. But the point that really shocked me is that their report was headed "Interim Report" - just as my previous ones had been! I realised then that they didn't even know the meaning of the word "Interim"!
I was, of course, labelled as an 'oppressive monster' just for pointing all this out.

Just what do schools and universities teach people these days?