How can one reconcile pleasing one’s parents through studying and excelling with pleasing Allah by seeking beneficial knowledge, while feeling distressed by academic curricula that scholars deem unsuitable and incapable of building a nation?

It is not correct to rule that all academic curricula are absolutely invalid. It is obligatory for a Muslim not to rely entirely on them for seeking religious knowledge. Striving and excelling in studies to please one's parents does not conflict with seeking beneficial religious knowledge. Rather, one can combine the two by utilizing holidays and free time, organizing time, and setting goals. Thus, the student should please their parents by excelling in their studies and combine this with seeking beneficial religious knowledge, as many of the Salaf combined various sciences.