This is not the answer you are looking for but it is designed this way for safety and it may very well be better left as is.

About the high beams, do they flash when you pull the switch towards you while driving?

If they do, try turning the headlights on with the head lamp switch, and then try the hi beams pushing forward on the turn signal/hi beam switch. They should work.

Hope this helps a bit,
Acky