Plans to include KMTC students in Helb funding

The government has indicated willingness to sponsor learners at the Kenya Medical Training Colleges even as it emerged that several medical students are dropping out due to school fees.

KMTC CEO Kelly Oluoch told a joint committee of National Assembly that up to 34 per cent of students admitted to the college fail to report due to fee-related issues.

According to Oluoch, out of those who join, 17 per cent discontinue because of funding.

“Currently we have a fee balance of Sh1.5 billion from 41,319 students. Helb has failed 70,000 students at KMTC,” Oluoch said.

The committee co-chaired by Seme MP James Nyikal (Health) and his Tinderet counterpart Julius Melly (Education) also wanted to know measures the ministry has put in place to end the discrimination.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba told MPs that his ministry has a legal mandate to support all learners in tertiary institutions.

He however noted that KMTC students have been left out because of the budgetary constraints.

“As to the question why Helb does not provide loans to students in the Kenya Medical Training College, we wish to indicate that the main issue is the lack of budget,” the CS said.

“It is important to clarify that some universities and training institutions, such as KMTC, are outside the Ministry of Education. As honourable members are aware, this reality has implications on the budgeting process as undertaken by the National Assembly.”

The CS was speaking during a session with National Assembly joint Committees on Health and Education on why the students have been discriminated against by Helb.

The CS also cited the placement of KMTC as another deterrent in funding the medical students – KMTC is under the Ministry of Health while the funding board is domiciled in the Education ministry.

In that arrangement, Helb works on estimates from the number of students under the Education ministry.

“When state corporations prepare their budgetary requirements, they do so through their respective ministries. Helb, therefore, prepares its budgets through the Ministry of Education,” Ogamba noted.

“Institutions under other ministries, such as KMTC which is under the Ministry of Health, process their budgets through their respective ministries.”

The team – including Nabii Nabwera (Lugari), Eve Obara (Kabondo Kasipul), Patrick Munene (Chuka Igambang’ombe) – faulted the current system, saying there is no reason the students should not receive funding. 

They mulled the transfer of operations for the Higher Educations Loans Board, from the Education ministry to the National Treasury, following concerns that it is not funding all tertiary students.

“If we can’t fund KMTC, why don’t we relocate Helb to the Ministry of Finance where it can be funded so that financing can benefit everyone,” Education committee vice chairman Patrick Munene posed.

Apart from universities, students in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions are also eligible for funding.