Kenya’s higher education sector is recording major growth as university enrollment rises to about 670,000 students across both public and private institutions.
This increase shows that more young people are seeing university education as an important step toward securing jobs and improving their future.
Principal Secretary for Higher Education Dr. Beatrice Inyangala said the growing number of students joining universities reflects stronger public trust in higher learning. She explained that many students now believe university education offers better opportunities for employment and economic independence.
According to Inyangala, there has also been a clear shift in the courses students are choosing.
Many are now enrolling in medicine, nursing, law, ICT, and education because these fields continue to have high demand both in Kenya and abroad. She said this change reflects global trends where healthcare workers, teachers, and technology experts are becoming more important in modern economies.
She noted that countries around the world are investing heavily in health services, education systems, and digital transformation, creating more opportunities for graduates in these sectors.
As a result, students are becoming more careful when selecting courses that can improve their chances in the job market.Inyangala also challenged universities to move away from traditional teaching methods that focus too much on theory.
She urged institutions to adopt practical and skills-based learning that prepares students for real workplace demands.
She said employers today are looking for graduates who can solve problems, think creatively, and adjust to changing work environments rather than those who only memorize classroom content.
She encouraged lecturers to embrace competency-based learning and project-driven teaching methods that help students gain hands-on experience before graduation. This approach, she said, will make graduates more useful and competitive in the labor market.The Principal Secretary also stressed that digital skills are now necessary for all students, not just those studying ICT.
She explained that technology has become part of nearly every profession, including agriculture, finance, medicine, engineering, music, and business.
Because of this, she asked universities to include ICT training across all academic programmes so that students from every field can develop digital literacy. She said graduates with strong technology skills will have a better chance of succeeding both locally and internationally.
Her remarks come as universities prepare for the arrival of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) learners into higher education institutions by 2029. Inyangala said universities are already reviewing academic programmes, retraining lecturers, and checking whether their infrastructure is ready for the transition.
She added that special attention is being given to facilities for arts, technical studies, creative learning, and practical education.
Government officials have also started collecting data to identify areas that need more investment to ensure universities are fully prepared for the new system.
