How teachers bring real problems into lessons

"Sir, when will we ever use this?"

Every teacher has heard it. Usually during algebra. Sometimes during chemistry. Occasionally during a history lesson about a treaty signed 150 years ago. The question is annoying — but it's also fair. Students want to know why learning matters.

Some teachers have found a powerful answer: start with a real problem. Not "solve for x," but "why does the road outside our school flood every rainy season, and how much water are we talking about?" Suddenly, algebra, geography, physics and even writing all have a reason to exist.

How can teachers bring real problems into lessons — and what happens to students when they do?

What is problem-based learning?

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a teaching approach where students learn by working on a real, open-ended problem. Instead of learning the theory first and practising later, students start with the problem and discover what they need to learn to solve it.

It began in medical schools. In the late 1960s, McMaster University in Canada started training doctors by giving them real patient cases from the first week, rather than years of theory first. The idea spread to engineering, business and eventually primary and secondary schools.

A close cousin is project-based learning, where students create a product (a poster, a model, a report, a video) that answers a question. Both approaches share one idea: learning is more meaningful when it's connected to something real.

In a large 2023 study of project-based learning in US primary schools, students in PBL science classrooms outperformed comparison students on science tests by about 8 percentage points. (Lucas Education Research / University of Michigan, "Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning") Evidence from Africa is still growing, but the same principle — relevance boosts motivation — shows up across many studies.

Why real problems work

• Motivation. Students care more when the problem is about their own street, family or future.
• Memory. We remember stories and experiences better than lists. A lesson about "the day we measured the flood" sticks.
• Connections. Real problems don't respect subject borders. Flooding involves maths, geography, biology, citizenship and writing.
• Skills for life. Students practise research, teamwork, communication and decision-making.
• Confidence. When students see they can contribute to real solutions, they feel capable.

The World Bank has long described a "learning crisis": many children attend school but learn too little. One reason is teaching that focuses on memorising for exams without understanding. Real-problem lessons are one tool to change that.

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself." — attributed to John Dewey, American philosopher and education reformer

A real-problem lesson, step by step

Let's walk through an illustrative example: "Why does the road outside our school flood?" This works for students aged about 12 to 16.

Step 1 — Notice the problem (1 lesson) Take students outside. Look at the road, gutters and drains. Take photos. Ask: What do you see? When does it flood? Who is affected?

Step 2 — Ask questions (same lesson) Students list questions: How much rain falls here? Where does the water go? Are drains blocked? How long does the flood last? Who is responsible?

Step 3 — Research (2–3 lessons)

• Geography: rainfall data for your city, the rainy seasons.
• Maths: measure the area of the flooded zone; estimate the volume of water (length × width × depth).
• Science: why does water flow downhill? What happens to soil when it's wet?
• Citizenship: who manages drains? Interview a local official or organiser.

Step 4 — Propose solutions (1–2 lessons) Groups suggest solutions: clearing drains, a clean-up day, a sign asking people not to dump rubbish, a letter to the town hall.

Step 5 — Present and act (1 lesson + optional action) Groups present to the class, parents or local officials. The class might organise a real clean-up. See What it takes to keep a street clean together.

Step 6 — Reflect What did we learn? What would we do differently? What changed?

Joke break: One class calculated that the flooded area held about 12,000 litres of water. A student raised his hand and asked if they could just sell it. The teacher said that was "an excellent entrepreneurial idea and a terrible public health idea." The class then had a very useful lesson on why stagnant water breeds mosquitoes.

12 real problems for African classrooms

Here are ideas that connect to daily life across the continent. Adapt them to your context.

Maths

• Market prices: Track the price of rice, tomatoes or gari for a month. Calculate averages and percentage changes.
• Mobile money fees: Compare fees for sending different amounts. Which is cheapest?
• School garden: Plan a garden plot — area, spacing, number of plants.

Science

• Clean water: Test simple filters (sand, gravel, cloth). Which makes water clearer? (See Clean water and the choices communities make.)
• Heat in classrooms: Measure temperature in different rooms. Why are some hotter? How could shade or ventilation help?
• Solar power: Use a small solar panel to charge a phone. How does angle affect charging?

Social studies and citizenship

• Rubbish in our neighbourhood: Map rubbish points; propose solutions. (See The ideas helping African cities reduce waste.)
• Local history: Interview older people about how the neighbourhood has changed.
• Road safety: Count vehicles and pedestrians at a busy crossing; suggest safety improvements.

Language and communication

• Health messages: Create a poster or radio message about handwashing in French and a local language.
• Fact-checking: Pick a viral message and check whether it's true. (See A practical way to check a claim about Africa.)
• Business idea: Design a small business for the school community and pitch it. (See A practical guide to testing a business idea.)

Real teachers, real examples

Across Africa, teachers and programmes are using real problems:

• The Global Teacher Prize, run by the Varkey Foundation, has recognised African teachers who use creative, real-world methods. Kenyan science teacher Peter Tabichi, winner in 2019, used his modest salary to support students and ran science clubs that entered national competitions with projects addressing local issues, such as a device to help visually impaired people and a project on plant use in dry areas.
• School robotics and science clubs across the continent, including teams preparing for competitions like the FIRST Global Challenge, often design solutions to local problems. See Team Benin au FIRST Global Challenge 2026.
• Environmental clubs plant trees, run recycling projects and measure the results.

These examples prove that real-problem teaching doesn't need expensive equipment. It needs a curious teacher and permission to step slightly outside the textbook.

"But what about the syllabus and exams?"

This is the biggest worry teachers have. Here's how to make real problems fit:

• Map the problem to the syllabus. The flooding project covers area, volume, rainfall, the water cycle and civic responsibility — all likely in the curriculum.
• Start small. One real-problem lesson per month is a good beginning.
• Use real problems for practice, not just introduction. Exam-style questions can be rewritten with real local data.
• Team up. A maths teacher and a geography teacher can share one project.
• Keep exam skills. Ask students to write short explanations using correct vocabulary, just like exams require.

A real-problem lesson isn't "extra." Done well, it's the syllabus with a reason attached.

How to assess a real-problem project

Grading can feel tricky. A simple rubric helps. Score each out of 5:

• Understanding: Did students use correct concepts (e.g., volume, water cycle)?
• Research: Did they collect real data?
• Teamwork: Did everyone contribute?
• Solution: Is it realistic and well explained?
• Communication: Was the presentation clear?

Also ask students to write a short personal reflection: "What did I learn, and what would I do differently?" This helps you see individual learning inside group work.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Problems that are too big. "Solve poverty in Africa" is not a school project. "Reduce rubbish in our school yard" is.
• Teacher does all the thinking. Let students struggle a bit. That's where learning happens.
• No real audience. Presenting only to the teacher feels like homework. Invite parents, another class or a local leader.
• Forgetting safety. Outdoor research needs supervision and permission.
• No follow-up. If students propose a solution, try at least a small part of it.

What students say

When students work on real problems, they often say things like:

• "I didn't know maths could help my mum at the market."
• "I talked to the chef de quartier for the first time."
• "I want to be an engineer now."

That last one matters. Real problems help students imagine careers. A student who designs a water filter might become a water engineer. A student who maps rubbish might become an urban planner. A student who interviews elders might become a historian or journalist. For more on careers and mentors, see Why local mentors can change a young person's future.

Start with what students already see

Every school sits in a neighbourhood full of real problems — and real people who care about them. When teachers bring those problems into the classroom, lessons stop being "something for the exam" and become "something for our lives."

So next time a student asks, "When will we ever use this?", try answering: "Today. Let's go outside."

More ideas: Learning beyond exams: projects children remember, Can play help children understand science?, and our Education section.

Questions

What is problem-based learning?

A teaching approach where students learn by working on a real, open-ended problem, discovering the knowledge they need as they go.

How do I start problem-based learning in a big class?

Choose a small local problem, divide the class into groups with roles, link the work to syllabus topics, and end with a presentation to a real audience.

Does problem-based learning help with exams?

It can, when teachers link projects to syllabus concepts and practise exam-style explanations using the project's real data.