Kenya has admitted a record 164,423 first-year students to pursue Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programmes in public universities this September, according to fresh data released by the Public Universities Vice-Chancellors’ Committee Secretariat.

The massive intake positions teacher training as the single largest enrolment cluster in higher education, highlighting both the demand for teaching careers and the pressure on the government to create employment opportunities for graduates.

The University of Nairobi leads with 11,700 students, followed closely by Kenyatta University (11,079) and Moi University (6,045). Other major centres of teacher training include Egerton University (6,444), Chuka University (6,528), and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (6,437).

The admissions also spotlight newer and smaller institutions, with Nyandarua University College enrolling only 173 students. The Open University of Kenya, which offers flexible digital learning, admitted 832 learners, while Mama Ngina University College recorded 814 first-years.

With teacher education taking the lion’s share of admissions, Kenya’s higher education sector faces a crucial test: training quality educators while ensuring they have a place in the country’s classrooms after graduation.