DAR ES SALAAM: THE Director General of the Tanzania Institute of Education (TET), Dr Anneth Komba, has said the Mwalimu Nyerere National Creative Writing Award is a key tool in identifying and nurturing local writing talent in Tanzania.
Speaking today, February 17, 2026, in Dar es Salaam during the official launch of books that won the award, Dr Komba said the initiative serves as a national platform for recognising creativity and strengthening the Kiswahili literary culture through works produced by both emerging and experienced writers.
She explained that the distribution of the books to schools across the country aims to strengthen the reading culture and improve education standards.
According to her, a total of 120,000 copies of three winning titles have been printed and will be distributed nationwide.
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The books include the novel Biarasa, the poetry collection Mgoma ya Mwere, and the children’s storybook Maziwa ya Kijiji.
Dr Komba said each school is expected to receive between eight and ten books, which will be used as library resources and read by school students, increasing access to knowledge and encouraging the younger generation to develop a reading habit.
She further noted that the book launch is part of broader efforts to promote the publishing industry in Tanzania through a printing tender that involved local publishers.
Dr Komba said the government allocated 100 million shillings in the 2024/2025 financial year to support the printing and distribution process, describing the move as part of a national strategy to ensure access to quality books and strengthen the knowledge-based economy.