I am in NZ so slightly different. I will use US grades rather than NZ for convenience. I was at high school in the early '80s. (Grade 8 to 12). The grade 10 exams were structured to fail about 50%. It was expected that about half the kids would leave school at or before the end of 10th grade. Most of the rest left the next year either for university or work. Less than 10 out of the original 180 stayed for 12th to sit for scholarships. Because of this once you got past 10th all subjects were academic since everyone there was university bound.
By the end of the 1980's things had changed. The leaving age was raised to 16, new assessment systems increased the pass rate to about 75% and internal assessment allowed second chances. Grade 12 subjects such as photography appeared. Now several changes later most kids stay to at least 11th and more and more non academic options are added. Many kids see they get as many credits for hospitality as physics.
It is not that I think there shouldn't be non academic options just that I am not sure that high school is the right place.
