Yes! Fostering curiosity is definitely key for more effective learning. If you do it well, and get kids to wonder about something, not only will their learning become more effortless, but they will even do research on their own sometimes!
That's pretty much what happened to me, my parents and grandfather always made Science look like something entertaining, fascinating, accessible and fun. Learning stuff didn't feel like a chore. I even made a post about it a while ago:
However not every individual is interested in the same subjects, so the idea of setting a minimal baseline for basics that everyone must know is definitely wise to ensure that there is not so much lagging behind in those areas that are not so attractive to them.
RE: Do we really need to learn all that in school?