The report shows that out of the
total 29,326 middle-level medical trainees enrolled last year, diploma nursing
students formed the largest single group.
Specifically, in the 2023/24 academic year, there are 4,825 diploma Community Health Nursing students.
The second diploma course in enrolment numbers is Clinical Medicine & Surgery with 2,567 students, followed by Health Records and Information technology (2,016), Community Health (1,832), and Orthopaedic and Trauma Medicine with 1,615 students.
However, at certificate level, the course
with the highest enrolment is Orthopaedic Plaster Technology (1,696 students),
followed by Community Health Assistant (1,645), Health Records &
Information Technology (1,623), Emergency Medical Technician (1,539), then Community
Nursing (1,409).
“The overall number of middle-level medical trainees increased from 26,830 in the 2020/21 academic year to 29,326 in the 2023/24 academic year,” notes the Economic Survey.
It was released in
Nairobi on May 6 by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
Higher diploma courses, however, account for the smallest share of trainees – just 702 students across various specialisations, including pharmacy, nursing, medical engineering, and clinical medicine and surgery.
High enrolment in a course does not necessarily mean it is the most popular, because enrolment numbers often reflect available training slots or national workforce needs.
To correctly measure popularity based on student choice or preference, you would need data on which courses are most over-applied for, where competition for limited slots is fiercest, and where students prefer to go when given free choice.
Kenya has a total of 64,449
registered nurses, according to the survey. Those with Bachelor of Science in Nursing
degree are 7,874, and those with diplomas 49,871 and certificates 6,704.
For clinical officers, the total is 30,800 COs comprising 28,712 diploma holders and 2,154 degree holders.
KMTC is the most sought-after mid-level medical training institution in Kenya.
Some 56, 516 Kenyans applied for various diploma courses at KMTC in 2024 but only about 19,000 were admitted, meaning that 36,863 or 65 percent of the applicants were locked out.
“With regard to the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), 56,516 individuals applied and 19,653 were placed as per available slots,” said former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu during the 2024 Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) stakeholder forum in May last year in Nairobi.
KUCCPS noted the
number of qualified applicants for KMTC programmes was extremely higher than
the available capacities provided by the institution.
Despite the strong enrolment trends, the number of graduates declined in the most recent academic year.
According to the Economic Survey report, “In the 2023/24 academic year, the number of middle-level medical graduates declined by 6.8 per cent to 21,147.”
In December 2024, about 21,147 students graduated from the college.
Female students, however, continued to outnumber their male counterparts, accounting for 67.2 per cent of total graduates.
Diploma holders made up the majority of graduates at 53.7 per cent, while certificate holders accounted for 43.9 per cent and higher diploma holders for just 2.4 per cent.
In December 2023, KMTC
had graduated 22,695 students, the highest number in the college’s 96-year
history.
“A total of 870 were awarded with higher diplomas, 12,917 diplomas and 8,908 certificates,” college CEO Dr Kelly Oluoch said at that time.
He spoke during the
ceremony held at the Moi International Sports Stadium in Kasarani.
“These graduates, having undergone comprehensive training, are exceptionally equipped to propel advancements aligned with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” Oluoch said.
