Tanzania has begun expanding a national system to recognise skills gained outside formal education, targeting youth and women in the cultural and creative industries in a move aimed at promoting decent employment and improving access to opportunities.
Morogoro. Tanzania has launched a process to expand a national system for recognising skills acquired outside formal education, in a move aimed at benefiting youth and women working in the cultural and creative industries and helping them transition from informal to decent employment.
The initiative was discussed on March 4, 2026 during a stakeholder workshop in Morogoro that brought together 42 representatives from ministries responsible for labour and employment, employers’ and workers’ organisations, creative industry associations, training institutions and qualification authorities.
The workshop was organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO) under the Global Skills Programme with funding from the Government of Norway.
Speaking during the workshop, ILO National Programme Officer Hafidh Khamis said the expansion of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system seeks to ensure that young people working in the creative sector receive formal recognition of their skills.
“The cultural and creative sector is growing rapidly and contributes to employment and income generation. We want to see young people’s talents formally recognised so that they can access better employment opportunities, contracts and entrepreneurship prospects,” he said.
The initiative focuses on extending the recognition framework to the cultural and creative economy, which includes music, film, performing arts, crafts, fashion, publishing and digital creativity.
Witness Siobjorn, a Bongo Flava musician and president of the Tanzania Musicians Union, said many artists have long relied on experience and self-taught skills without receiving official recognition from sector institutions.
“I have more than 20 years of experience in the arts. I have faced many challenges along the way, and even today many young artists still encounter similar difficulties, including the lack of formal systems that recognise their skills,” he said.
He added that the new recognition framework could help artists gain professional credibility and improve their chances in the labour market.
Mrisho Mrisho, acting director of research and marketing at the National Arts Council (BASATA).
According to Mrisho Mrisho, acting director of research and marketing at the National Arts Council (BASATA), women form a significant share of the workforce in the creative sector, particularly in crafts, fashion and performing arts.
However, he noted that many face challenges including limited access to formal training, capital and markets.
He said the expansion of the RPL system with a gender sensitive approach would increase opportunities for women to have their skills recognised, access higher value markets and secure decent jobs.
Meanwhile, Dr Kassim Kapalata, director of occupational health and safety at the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (Tucta), said many young people in the creative sector work under informal arrangements without contracts or social protection.
He urged creative workers to join trade union federations to strengthen their collective voice and protect their rights.
“Skills recognition is an important bridge that can help young people move from the informal economy into formal and sustainable employment,” he said.
Through the workshop, stakeholders began drafting a strategic framework to ensure that the recognition of skills aligns with labour market needs while integrating principles of decent work within the creative sector.
