DRIVING QUESTION

Every meaningful project begins with a clear purpose. Before learners start
analysing problems or designing solutions, they need a question that will guide
their thinking and actions.

In our daily lives, we see many challenges in our homes, schools, and
communities. However, solving these challenges requires more than just
identifying them. It requires thinking deeply, asking the right questions, and
focusing on practical solutions. This is where the driving question comes in.

A driving question helps learners move from simply noticing a problem to

actively thinking about how to solve it. It gives direction to the project and
ensures that all activities, from problem analysis to solution design are focused
and meaningful. The driving question becomes the foundation of the entire
project, guiding learners through investigation, idea and solution development.
Start by giving learners a strong driving question that will guide their project
work journey.

DRIVING QUESTION
1. What is a Driving Question?
A driving question is: A clear and focused question that guides learners to
investigate and solve a real problem.
It:
 Starts from a real-life problem
 Leads to thinking, research, and action
 Guides the entire project process

📌 It is the foundation of the project—everything else (Problem Tree, objectives,

solutions) connects to it.
A strong driving question should be:
 Clear
 Focused
 Linked to the theme
 Leading to practical solutions- creation of a product to solve the problem.

💡 2. Why Do We Use a Driving Question?

We use a driving question to:
 Give clear direction to the project
 Help learners think deeply before solving
 Guide investigation and analysis
 Lead to practical and relevant solutions
 Support development of a clear project purpose

📌 Without a strong driving question, projects become:

 Unclear
 Too broad
 Difficult to implement

⚙️3. How Do We Develop a Driving Question?

Use these simple steps to develop driving questions:
Step 1: Identify a Clear Problem
 Write the problem in a full sentence
  Show who is affected and where

Step 2: Link to the 2026 Theme

👉 Embracing Creativity and Practical Skills for Sustainable Development of
Society
Ask:
 What resource is involved?
 How can creativity or practical skills help?
 How can the solution be sustainable?

Step 3: Turn the Problem into a Question

Use this structure:
How might we solve this problem in a sustainable way?

Step 4: Refine the Question

Ensure the question is:
 Clear
 Focused
 Linked to the theme
 Leading to practical solutions- creation of a product to solve the problem.

🌍 Examples of Driving Questions

Each question is followed by a clear demonstration showing how it meets the

strong driving question criteria:
 ✔ Clear
 ✔ Focused
 ✔ Linked to the theme
 ✔ Leads to a practical product/solution

Example 1: Water & Sanitation

👉 Driving Question:
How might creatively reduces water wastage and improves hygiene in our
school?

✅ Why it is strong:
 Clear: Focuses on hygiene
 Focused: Targets one issue—water wastage
 Linked to Theme: Uses creativity + practical skills + sustainability
 Practical Solution/Product: Learners can create:
o A greywater reuse system
o Water collection containers
o Simple filtration system
o Awareness campaigns

Example 2: Values, Ethics, Character Development

👉 Driving Question:
How might we promote responsible behaviour and peaceful co-existence in our
school or community sustainably?

✅ Why it is strong:
 Clear: Focuses on values and behaviour
 Focused: One issue— co-existence
  Linked to Theme:
o Practical skills (applying values in real life)
o Creativity (teaching methods, campaigns, activities)
o Sustainability (lasting character and behavior change)
 Practical Solution/Product: Learners can create:
o Value-based awareness campaigns
o Peer guidance programs
o Conflict resolution strategies
o Codes of conduct or behavior guides
o Data reports to guide school decisions

⭐ KEY FACILITATOR INSIGHT

All strong driving questions:
👉 Start with a real problem
👉 Focus on one clear issue
👉 Lead to making or designing something (product/service)
👉 Support sustainable solutions

🎯 SIMPLE TEACHER CHECK

Ask:
 Does the question lead learners to create something?
 Can learners implement the solution in real life?
 Is the question clear and focused on one issue?
👉 If YES → it is a strong driving question

Develop questions that trigger learners to:

 Uses skills from more than one subject
 Solves a real problem
 Leads to a practical product or solution
📌 The strongest projects are interdisciplinary, not single-subject.

Example of driving questions and possible problems

Topic Driving Question Problems (Full
Sentences)
💧 Water How might reduce water  Many
Management wastage and improve households’
hygiene in our wastewater
community in a because
sustainable way? taps are left
running or
water is not
used
carefully.
 Some
homes do
not have
access to
enough
clean water
for proper
handwashin
g.
 There are no
 simple
systems in
the
community
to reuse
wastewater
for other
purposes.
🌱 Waste How might we improve  Waste is
Management waste management our poorly
community sustainably? disposed of
in the
community,
leading to
environmen
tal pollution.
 Some
people
dump waste
in open
spaces,
which
attracts
pests and
causes
disease.
 Many
community
members do
not know
how to
reuse or
recycle
waste
materials.
⚡ Energy Use How might we conserve  Many
energy effectively in our households
community sustainably? depend
heavily on
firewood and
charcoal for
cooking.
 Energy costs
are high,
making it
difficult for
families to
afford
enough fuel.
 People are
not aware of
simple ways
to save
energy at
 home.
🍎 Food How might we improve  Many
production food production in our families
community sustainably? produce
small
amounts of
food due to
poor farming
methods.
 Some
households
lack proper
irrigation
systems to
support crop
growth.
 Soil fertility
is low
because
organic
waste is not
used to
improve the
soil.
🧼 Hygiene & How might we improve  Many people
Health hygiene practices in our do not wash
community? their hands
regularly,
especially
before
eating.
 Some
households
do not have
proper
sanitation
facilities.
 Poor hygiene
practices
lead to the
spread of
preventable
diseases.
🧠 Mental How might we design  Many young
Health & Well- solutions to improve people
being mental well-being in our experience
community sustainably? stress and
anxiety in
their daily
lives.
 There are
few support
systems to
help people
 deal with
emotional
challenges.
 Mental
health
issues are
not openly
discussed
due to
stigma in
the
community.
🌍 Community How might we promote  Some people
& Values positive values and in the
(Humanities) responsible behaviour in community
our community show
sustainably? irresponsible
behavior
such as
disrespect
and
dishonesty.
 Conflicts
occur
because
people do
not listen to
or
understand
each other.
 Community
members
are not
actively
involved in
solving
shared
problems.
📊 Data How might we use data  Many
management to solve a real problem in decisions in
our community the
sustainably? community
are made
without
collecting
proper
information.
 There is no
tracking of
how
resources
like water
and waste
are used.
  People lack
skills to
collect,
organize,
and analyze
data.
💻 ICT How might we use ICT  Important
skills to design digital information
solutions that solve about
community problems community
sustainably? issues is not
shared
widely.
 Many people
do not use
technology
to solve
local
problems.
 Communicat
ion in the
community
is limited
due to lack
of digital
tools.
📖 How might we influence  Community
Communicatio positive change in our issues are
n& community sustainably? not
Expression communicat
ed clearly to
people.
 Awareness
is low
because
messages
are not
engaging.
 Cultural
stories and
knowledge
are not well
preserved.
🙏 Religious How might promote  Conflicts
Education coexistence in our arise
(Values & community sustainably? because
Ethics) people do
not follow
shared
values.
 Some
individuals
do not act
responsibly
 in their daily
lives.
 Cooperation
and unity
are weak in
some parts
of the
community.
🎯 Facilitator Tip
Encourage learners to:
 Think about real problems around them
 Ask “How can we solve this?”
 Focus on solutions that are practical, creative, and sustainable
🔗 Transition
With a clear driving question in place, learners will next move on to:
👉 Problem Tree Analysis, where they will break down their problem into causes
and effects.

Note: This question will guide all examples and activities in the workbook.
👉 How might can we reduce water wastage at Greenfield Secondary
School in a sustainable way?

Project Community Subjects Possible Project

Topic Problems (Full Integrated Ideas (Low-
Sentences) Resource & Action-
Oriented)
💧 Water • Many households Science, • Design and install
Management waste water due to Geography, a tippy tap system
poor water-use Mathematics, using jerrycans,
practices. • Some ICT sticks, and rope. • Set
homes do not have up a greywater
access to clean water reuse system for
for proper home gardens. •
handwashing. • There Create a rainwater
are no systems in harvesting system
place to reuse using local containers.
wastewater in the • Conduct water-
community. • Poor saving awareness
sanitation practices campaigns.
contribute to the
spread of diseases.
🌱 Waste • Waste is poorly Chemistry, Art • Construct a
Management disposed of in the & Design, compost pit to
community, leading to Entrepreneurs produce organic
pollution. • Some hip, ICT manure. • Create
community members reusable products
practice open from plastic waste. •
dumping of waste. • Set up waste
Many people lack separation bins
knowledge about using local materials.
recycling and waste • Organize clean-up
management. • Poor and awareness
waste management campaigns.
 attracts pests and
contributes to
disease.
⚡ Energy Use • Many households Physics, • Promote energy-
depend heavily on Mathematics, saving practices
firewood and charcoal ICT, through campaigns. •
for cooking. • Energy Geography Construct a simple
costs are high for solar dryer using
many families. • local materials. •
There is limited Demonstrate
awareness about improved cooking
energy-saving methods. • Conduct
practices. • Overuse community
of firewood sensitization
contributes to sessions.
environmental
degradation.
🍎 Food & • Many households Agriculture, • Establish a
Agriculture produce low amounts Biology, kitchen garden. •
of food due to poor Nutrition, Set up sack or
farming practices. • Geography vertical gardens. •
Some families lack Produce organic
access to proper compost. • Design a
irrigation methods. • simple bottle
Soil fertility is low due irrigation system.
to poor land
management. • Food
insecurity affects
some families.
🧼 Hygiene & • Many people do not Biology, CRE, • Construct
Health practice proper ICT, Physical handwashing
handwashing Education stations (tippy
regularly. • Some taps). • Run
households lack hygiene awareness
sanitation facilities. • campaigns. •
Preventable diseases Produce simple
spread due to poor soap. • Conduct
hygiene. • There is hygiene
limited awareness demonstrations.
about hygiene.
🧠 Mental • Many young people CRE/IRE, • Establish peer
Health & experience stress and Literature, support groups. •
Well-being anxiety. • There are ICT, Life Skills Create a wellness
limited support corner. • Develop
systems. • Mental awareness
health issues are materials. •
stigmatized. • People Conduct stress
lack coping strategies. management
sessions.
🌍 Community • Some community History, CRE, • Run behavior
& Values members Political change campaigns.
(Humanities) demonstrate Education, • Organize
indiscipline. • Language community
Conflicts arise due to dialogues. •
 lack of respect. • Develop a code of
Community conduct. • Lead
engagement is low. • community service
Civic responsibility is activities.
weak.
📊 • Many decisions are Mathematics, • Conduct
Mathematics made without reliable ICT, Science community surveys.
(Data for data. • There is no • Analyze and
Decision- tracking of resource present data using
Making) use. • People lack charts. • Develop a
skills in data analysis. simple budget plan.
• Create monitoring
systems.
💻 ICT (Digital • Information about ICT, • Create awareness
Solutions) community issues is Entrepreneurs videos. • Design
not effectively shared. hip, Art & digital posters. •
• Technology is Design Develop simple
underutilized. • tracking tools. •
Awareness is limited Share information
due to poor using digital
communication. platforms.
📖 Literature • Community issues Literature, • Perform drama or
(Communicat are not clearly ICT, CRE, role plays. • Write
ion & communicated. • Language storybooks or
Expression) Messages are not scripts. • Create
engaging. • Cultural poems and spoken
knowledge is not well word pieces. •
preserved. Organize
storytelling
sessions.
🙏 Religious • Conflicts occur due CRE/IRE, • Establish peer
Education to lack of shared History, mediation groups. •
(Values & values. • Some people Language Run values-based
Ethics) do not follow ethical campaigns. •
principles. • Unity and Organize
cooperation are weak. community service
activities. • Develop
conflict resolution
guides.