A lot of what you say is true to an extent, but I think you're being a bit harsh.
One must recognize that it is going to be imperfect when dealing with so many different nationalities and cultures in training.
American airlines do seem to engender a culture that expects spoon feeding and that is just not the way it is done elsewhere in the world. At Emirates pilots are expected to show up for a lesson prepared, having studied the material to be covered. CBT is a fact of life everywhere, including the USA. The days of the two week systems ground school taught in a classroom with real live instructors are gone.
At Emirates there is no systems oral. It's a an easy multiple choice test. Since one doesn't have to spend so much time memorizing switches, lights, and what they mean for an oral they are free to spend that time learning the flows, procedures, and callouts. That is what Emirates emphasizes in the early stages of training.
And time is in abundance. It is not a fast paced ground school. The first three weeks is just generic requirements. If a new joiner spends their time wisely they can get a head start on the training and be way ahead when the CBT and fixed base training starts. That takes self-discipline.
I know a lot of RJ guys who have come to Emirates and have done very well in training. Different RJ airlines have different training cultures though. Some had very tough standards, others are quite lax. Same holds true for U.S. majors. There are vast differences in the standards that pilots are held to.
At Emirates pilots are held to a very high standard. Anyone coming to Emirates will benefit from that over the long run. Emirates training will make you a better and more professional pilot.
Typhoonpilot
P.S. Gillegan wasn't as tough as people say. He always gave me 5s.