Veteran writer and poet Abdilatif Abdalla has called on the Government of Tanzania to further strengthen efforts to make Kiswahili the main language of instruction in schools, saying the move is both realistic and important for improving education quality and national development.
Abdalla made the remarks on April 14, 2026 in Dar es Salaam during the Julius Nyerere National Creative Writing Award ceremony, an event aimed at promoting literature, creativity and writing talent in the country.
He said African languages have the capacity to fully support education systems, pointing out that even European languages such as English developed over time after replacing Latin in academic use.
He explained that at one time Latin was widely regarded as the language of science and higher learning, but over time it was replaced as English and other languages developed strong academic and scientific vocabulary. He said Kiswahili can also grow and serve the same purpose if properly supported.
Abdalla said Kiswahili already plays a strong unifying role in Tanzania and across East Africa, and using it as the main language of instruction would help students understand lessons better and improve learning outcomes.
He urged the government to treat the idea as achievable, emphasizing that what is needed is strong commitment and policy direction to fully implement it.
The event is part of the Julius Nyerere Creative Writing Award, which continues to promote Kiswahili and creative writing while honoring the legacy of Julius Nyerere through literary development and youth creativity.
He also suggested that the award should be expanded to include participation from other African countries, saying this would reflect Nyerere’s Pan-African vision and strengthen African literary exchange.
Speaking at the same event, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Caroline Nombo, said the government has invested about 4.2 billion shillings in the award over the 2025/2026 period.
She said the funds have been used for printing books, supporting winners, and strengthening the publishing industry in the country.
Prof. Nombo said the ministry will continue working with higher learning institutions to organize writing workshops and promote creative writing skills among students and young writers.
She added that the government remains committed to supporting local authors, describing them as an important national asset in education and cultural development.
The Chairperson of the Awards Committee, Prof. Penina Mlama, said this year the competition received 260 manuscripts from different parts of the country, compared to 282 manuscripts submitted in 2025.
She said the submissions included 86 poetry works, 53 novels, 73 children’s stories and 48 plays.
Prof. Mlama said participants came from 27 regions of mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, with some entries also submitted by Tanzanians living abroad, showing growing interest in creative writing.
She added that 184 submissions were from men and 76 from women, noting that some participants still fail to meet submission requirements, which remains a key challenge.
Winners of the awards received different prizes depending on their positions. The first prize winner received Sh10 million, a trophy and their work will be distributed in schools nationwide.
The second prize winner received Sh7 million and a certificate, while the third prize winner received Sh5 million and a certificate. Other shortlisted participants received certificates of recognition.
The Director General of the Tanzania Institute of Education, Dr. Aneth Komba, said the Julius Nyerere Creative Writing Award plays an important role in strengthening education by promoting creativity, critical thinking and language skills among learners.
She said the initiative helps students build confidence, improve writing abilities and develop problem-solving skills, especially in Kiswahili.
Dr. Komba also said recent curriculum reforms have introduced creative literature subjects aimed at developing student talents in poetry, short stories, novels, drama and other creative forms.
She said the award supports the implementation of the 2014 Education and Training Policy, as revised in 2023, and aligns with the improved curriculum by encouraging practical creative writing in schools.
This year’s winners included John Hiluka in the novel category, Abdallah Ngereza in poetry, Amina Mohamed in children’s literature, and Hamis Kibari in drama.
