Tanzania is seeking to strengthen the role of school sports and creative arts in developing future talent, with the government urging students to nurture their abilities alongside academic studies as part of a broader strategy to invest in the country's human capital.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2026 UMISSETA national secondary schools games in Iringa, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PMO-RALG), Prof. Riziki Shemdoe, said sporting and artistic talents should be viewed as assets capable of creating careers, promoting national identity and contributing to economic development.
He urged students to remain disciplined, excel in their studies and continue developing their natural abilities rather than abandoning them after leaving school.
"I urge you to remain disciplined, work hard in your studies and continue nurturing your talents in sports and the arts," Shemdoe told participants. "Do not neglect your talents because they can shape your future. I recently found myself reviving my own traditional drumming and singing skills during an official event, reminding me that talents stay with us when they are nurtured."
His remarks reflect Tanzania's growing effort to integrate sports and arts into the education system, recognising them as important tools for youth development, employment creation and international competitiveness.
Shemdoe said the government would continue creating an enabling environment to identify, nurture and develop students' talents, enabling young Tanzanians to represent the country in regional and international sports and arts competitions while contributing to national development.
He also commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for prioritising education, youth development, sports and the creative arts, saying sustained investment in these sectors was laying a stronger foundation for identifying and developing young talent.
Deputy Permanent Secretary for Education at PMO-RALG, Atupele Mwambene, said the annual UMITASHUMTA and UMISSETA competitions had become one of Tanzania's leading platforms for discovering young talent while promoting healthy lifestyles, friendship and national unity among students.
"The competitions are not only about winning medals," Mwambene said. "They help students build discipline, teamwork, resilience and patriotism—qualities that are equally important in education and in later life."
Representing the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Leah Kihimbi said the ministry would continue working with PMO-RALG to ensure promising athletes and artists identified through school competitions receive opportunities to develop their abilities further and pursue professional careers.
Mohamed Nassoro Salimu, representing Zanzibar's Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, said Zanzibar was preparing to field a stronger team at next year's games as part of reforms aimed at improving sporting performance, in line with President Hussein Ali Mwinyi's agenda to strengthen the sector.
Closing the tournament, PMO-RALG Permanent Secretary Adolf Ndunguru commended education officers, school heads, teachers, sports coordinators and guardians for preparing and supporting students throughout the competition.
He said school sports and arts programmes help students develop values that extend beyond the classroom, including discipline, fair competition, perseverance, teamwork, patriotism and national solidarity.
As Tanzania expands investment in human capital development, policymakers increasingly regard school sports and arts as an extension of the education system, providing a pathway for identifying future athletes and artists while equipping young people with leadership skills, confidence and resilience needed in the labour market.
For many students leaving the UMISSETA games in Iringa, the tournament represented more than a week of competition. It offered an opportunity to showcase talents that, with continued support and discipline, could evolve into future careers and a platform to represent Tanzania on the international stage.
