Kenya’s university enrolment has climbed to about 670,000 students, with medicine, Information Communication Technology (ICT), and education emerging as the most attractive courses.
Speaking in Sema na Spox bonga na Gava podcast episode on Thursday, May 14, Principal Secretary (PS) for Higher Education Dr. Beatrice Inyangala said the increasing numbers reflect growing confidence in university education as a pathway to employment and economic empowerment.
Courses such as medicine, nursing, law, ICT, and education continue to attract the highest number of applicants due to strong demand in both local and international job markets.
“We currently have about 670,000 students in all our public and private universities at the moment. The five most popular courses are medicine, nursing, law, ICT-related courses, and education,” she said.
Why More Students Are Choosing Medicine, ICT and Education Courses
PS Inyangala stated that the shift also mirrors changing global trends, in which healthcare professionals, teachers, and technology specialists are increasingly essential in modern economies.
“I would say that these are the courses most people are going for, but the market also requires doctors. The market requires nurses, teachers, and ICT expertise,” she noted.
“When we look at the market, we do not confine ourselves to the local market. We are looking at many opportunities, including Kazi Mitandao and business process outsourcing, where our graduates undertake assignments online for companies abroad.”
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According to the Commission for University Education (CUE) 2024/2025 University Statistics Report, Education and Arts was among the most popular academic fields, with 104,747 students enrolled, making it the largest field of study in Kenyan universities.
Education Science ranked third with 53,797 students. Together, these three domains accounted for a substantial proportion of the national student population.
The PS also revealed that Kenyan universities currently have enough capacity to admit all students who qualify for university placement this year.
According to the State Department for Higher Education, institutions collectively have a capacity for approximately 323,000 students, while the number of eligible candidates is around 268,000.
This means universities still have additional space available for admissions.
Govt Pushes Universities to Embrace ICT Skills and Practical Learning
Dr. Inyangala added that Kenya is now operating in a digital era, and the State Department is working closely with universities to infuse technology across all academic programmes.
She noted that ICT is no longer limited to standalone technology courses, but is now being integrated across all fields of learning.
The PS explained that musical instruments, for example, increasingly rely on digital technology, while in agriculture, technology is being used to support precision farming and address changing climatic conditions.
In finance, she said, fintech has become a key driver of innovation, while in medicine, technology continues to transform diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare delivery.
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Dr. Inyangala emphasized that the government is therefore embedding technology across all learning areas and subject domains to ensure graduates are equipped with relevant digital skills.
At the same time, the PS called on universities to overhaul traditional teaching methods and embrace practical, skills-oriented learning.
Dr. Inyangala urged lecturers to move away from theory-heavy instruction and instead focus on competency-based, project-driven learning approaches, explaining that employers today seek graduates who can solve problems, innovate, and adapt to changing work environments rather than simply memorize content.
