Until the end of the 2023/2024 financial year, KMTC students benefited from HELB support.
However, due to government austerity measures and budget cuts, the funding was discontinued, leaving many financially disadvantaged students without assistance for their medical education.
KMTC Chief Executive Officer Dr Kelly Oluoch revealed that the college, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is actively engaging the National Treasury and relevant parliamentary committees to reinstate this crucial financial aid.
He emphasized that the withdrawal of funding has significantly affected students from underprivileged backgrounds, limiting their ability to pursue healthcare training.
"Additionally, there is a presidential directive for the funding to be reinstated in the coming financial year," Dr Oluoch stated.
"As a college, through the Ministry of Health, we will continue working closely with the National Treasury to ensure this commitment is fulfilled," he added.
Oluoch made these remarks during a visit to KMTC Bondo, where he inspected ongoing campus projects.
During his visit, he engaged with students, staff, and stakeholders to foster collaboration in advancing the college’s strategic plan, which aims to position KMTC as a globally competitive institution in healthcare training.
In 2022, KMTC signed an agreement with HELB to mobilize resources and support financially needy students through a dedicated financial scheme.
This partnership was formalized on July 5, 2022, with a service contract signed between KMTC officials and HELB CEO Charles Ringera.
The initiative sought to provide financial aid for tuition, accommodation, upkeep, and other non-monetary support for needy students.
The collaboration involved joint resource mobilization, with the funds raised transferred to HELB for disbursement.
On October 26, 2022, KMTC made history by officially joining public universities, national polytechnics, and Technical Industrial Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TIVET) institutions in receiving funds from the National Treasury to support student education.
As part of its partnership with HELB, KMTC received an allocation of Sh680 million, targeting students from the most vulnerable backgrounds.
The college, which has over 54,000 students enrolled in Higher Diplomas, Diplomas, Certificates, and Short Courses, relied on HELB to receive, administer, and set criteria for the granting and disbursement of financial assistance.
With ongoing negotiations, KMTC remains committed to ensuring that HELB funding is restored to support students pursuing careers in healthcare.