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President William Ruto has announced that KMTC students will now be eligible for HELB funding, a move aimed at expanding access to higher education financing and easing the financial burden on medical trainees.
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The decision is expected to benefit thousands of students, improve enrolment and retention rates, and support the training of healthcare professionals needed to strengthen Kenya’s health sector.
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Stakeholders have welcomed the move but stressed the need for adequate HELB funding and timely loan disbursement to ensure successful implementation.
Thousands of students at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) are set to benefit from government financial support after President William Ruto announced that they will now qualify for loans and scholarships through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
The President said the move is part of the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to higher education funding, regardless of whether students are enrolled in universities, technical institutions or medical training colleges.
Ruto directed the Ministry of Education and relevant agencies to facilitate the inclusion of KMTC students in the HELB programme, ending years of exclusion that left many trainees struggling to meet the cost of tuition and other academic expenses.
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The decision is expected to benefit thousands of learners across KMTC campuses nationwide. The institution is a key provider of Kenya’s healthcare workforce, training nurses, clinical officers, laboratory technologists, pharmacists and other medical professionals.
The President said expanding access to student financing will help remove financial barriers that have prevented many qualified students from pursuing medical training. He noted that the government is keen on supporting the development of skilled health workers needed to strengthen healthcare services across the country.
The announcement has been welcomed by education stakeholders, who say access to affordable loans will ease the financial burden on students undertaking costly medical programmes that require clinical attachments, specialised equipment and extensive practical training.
The inclusion of KMTC students in the HELB funding framework is also expected to boost enrolment and retention rates while supporting the government’s efforts to address the growing demand for healthcare professionals.
Stakeholders have, however, called for adequate funding of HELB and timely disbursement of loans to ensure the programme delivers its intended benefits.
By Hillary Muhalya
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