Tanzania launches 2026 National Week of Education, Skills and Innovation

Tanzania's Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Adolf Mkenda, announced that the National Week of Education, Skills and Innovation 2026 will be held from August 15‑20 at Usagara Secondary School in Tanga. The event will feature exhibitions of local and foreign innovations, the national MAKISATU competition, skill contests for technical college students, academic conferences, workshops and sessions on intellectual‑property protection. It is intended to demonstrate the role of education, skills and innovation in achieving the country's Vision 2050 development goals. The ministry has also set up Science, Technology and Innovation desks in 90 local councils, with a plan to extend them nationwide.

In a related initiative, Prof. Carolyne Nombo, Secretary‑General of the same ministry, opened the central committee meeting for the second phase of the Programme to Enhance Skills and Job‑Readiness (ESPJ II). The six‑year programme, budgeted at 780 billion Tanzanian shillings (about US$300 million), aims to train more than one million Tanzanians, create productive jobs and involve the private sector in vocational and technical education. It will be implemented by 19 institutions across several ministries and will support sectors such as industry, technology and innovation, aligning with the national development blueprint.