Why can't we "just teach"?

[StereoTyped]

It really and truly depends on which school you end up at. They are all different and nobody can say that the things you mentioned are nonexistent in international schools based on a few experiences of his/her own. You actually described my current (overseas) school perfectly, with the exception of the merit-based pay scale. But I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up going in that direction either given the extreme data-driven culture!