This has been a primary problem in education, and what you've said is quite true. And as said in PG's what you'll wish you'd known essay, the bright kids should seek hard problems so that they don't lose their abilities by thinking that there's no value in being smart.

I'd recommend watching Sir Ken Robinson's iconic talk with respect to what you said: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ken_robinson_says_schools_k...