We all know confidently incorrect people. People displaying dunning-kruger. The majority of those people have low education and without someone giving them objectively true feedback on their opinions through their developmental years, they start to believe everything they think is true even without evidence.
Memorizing facts, dates, and formulas aren’t what necessarily makes someone intelligent. It’s the ability to second guess yourself and have an appropriate amount of confidence relative to your knowledge that is a sign of intelligence.
I could be wrong though.
You’re right (but obviously not completely)
The most important skill anyone can have is information literacy. Schools don’t reach it at all.
I’d say it’s critical thinking, with information literacy being part of the critical thinking process.