Recent graduates comprise large portion of the unemployed

According to the Commission for University Education, approximately 600,000 students were enrolled in Kenyan universities and tertiary institutions in the 2023-24 academic year. Each year, around 50,000 students graduate, but less than 40% transition smoothly into the workforce, writes Nelly Muchiri for The Star.

A 2023 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics report showed that youth aged 20-29 form the highest share of unemployed Kenyans, with over 1.6 million jobless, a large portion being recent graduates. Most are stuck in a loop of job applications, unpaid internships or casual labour.

According to the Ministry of Education, several graduate internship and youth empowerment programmes, such as the Public Service Internship Programme and Ajira Digital, aim to bridge this employment gap. However, uptake remains low, and many graduates are unaware of or ineligible for such opportunities.
Full report on The Star site