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"We were teaching kids to read, ethics, morals, long before we had PhDs."

I think I'd like some evidence for that.

Is that not obvious? Via the ancient Greek schools of philosophy for example?

IIUC, the literacy rate was for most of the Mediterranean world was around 20%, specifically excluding slaves and women. Which is pretty high, actually.

The Greek schools of philosophy were taught by the equivalent of PhDs.

The first PhD was awarded in France in 1150 CE.

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and even Pre-Columbus America had complex cultural customs, art, math, engineering, medicine, language they handed down generationally.

University as we know it is a relic of Medieval European tradition.

I've seen the literacy rate of medieval Europe estimated at 10%. Ethics and morals were being taught roughly the same way they are now: you believe what your parents believed. Medieval medicine was being taught from translations of Arabic copies of Galen.

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