Origin of Rote-Learning in Pakistan’s Schools-Part 6

4 min readFeb 16, 2020

The Origin of Rote-learning in Pakistan’s Schools — Part 6…..Shad Moarif

“Reasoning, in the idiom of the theologians, is the reflection that seeks that which establishes either certain knowledge or the preponderance of conviction”. (Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni (419/1028–478/1085, “A Guide to Conclusive Proofs for the Principles of Belief” )

Great Start, Poor Results

In May 2019, The Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (Lahore) provisionally approved a remarkable curriculum document entitled: “MATHEMATICS Gr 1-V , 2018”. It is sixty-one pages long. Its content in terms of scope and depth covers all that is deserving of a self-respecting Primary Math curriculum.

From start to finish the document emphasizes the building of conceptual foundations to “further (advance) learning successfully” and “apply knowledge skillfully”. It calls for enabling students to “think logically, reason systematically and conjecture astutely(!)”. Graphics are proposed to enable the visualization and interpretation of mathematical expressions (not “manipulate them ‘blindly’ “ ). Furthermore, the authors embed their foresight and vision with the proposal to integrate current and appropriate technology to “enhance learning”.

A strikingly common reaction is: “There’s nothing wrong with our curriculum! The root-problem lies in its implementation. Simple!! ” Undoubtedly, it is a very contemporary and comprehensive curriculum. It reflects the extent to which global realities have changed since the colonial British Raj and acknowledges the new needs of the future citizenry.

Of course the document faithfully replicates the revised UK-US-Singapore, etc Elementary Math curriculum that underwent decades of national debate before taking final form. Remnants of its laborious evolution over time are first dusted off like alien soil clinging to the roots of an uprooted plant. The stem, branches and leaves, with roots dangling like a sapling’s, are then grafted into Pakistan’s soil. The graft is expected to send out new shoots in a new soil and the new curriculum is expected to sprout new branches and leaves, followed by fruits and flowers. When fully mature, it should serve as a robust, living catalyst: a document that breathes new life into our schools’ ossified classroom practices. It Doesn’t. Why?

Understanding

Do we know why? What is “knowing”? Usually knowing comes in several stages. First comes “understanding”. You need to understand what these sentences mean. The meaning you make should resonate with what you “know to be true”. Your (intuitive) reasoning kicks in. Using simple reason/logic, you can explain to yourself and to others, what you understand and why.

Learning

Next comes “learning”. In the main, we can only learn what we understand. We can also “learn” what we don’t understand, but that would amount to denying our intuitive reasoning. It would be rote-learning: recalling from memory things not understood. These would include both the false and the true. Learning via understanding, on the other hand, opens the gates to “knowing”. The transition from learning to knowing is via steps of reasoning (not leaps of faith) and requires testing, confirming and validating what is understood. It begins with inputs from the sensory system (the 5 senses) followed by connecting them logically via tactile, auditory, verbal, visual and abstract reasoning. Our reasoning connects our prior knowledge with new findings to extract new meaning. This sets up a cognitive flow. It is what you are doing right now as you read this. “Learning” is a process in a state of flux, until it leads up to knowing.

Knowing

The final culmination of “knowing”, is a stable cognitive state of certainty. Conviction comes with the practice of learning, layer by layer, until what you know, feels authentic, automatic, instant and intuitive. “What is your name? “; “Why is theft forbidden?” “Why do we multiply the length with the width of a rectangle to obtain the area?” When you “know” the answer, you will say it and mean it. (When you explain what you say, you explain what you mean). Without “meaning” most logical processes cease.

The most important conduit linking Understanding, Learning and Knowing is Reasoning. It helps us prove the truthfulness of what we understand and learn, know and believe.

“The first duty of a person with sound intellect, upon attaining the age of puberty or of legal sexual maturity, is to aspire after a correct reasoning that furnishes sure knowledge ……”(Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni (419/1028–478/1085, “A Guide to Conclusive Proofs for the Principles of Belief” )
(…..cont’d in Part 7 ) .