KMTC says 20,000 prospective health trainees miss admission each year over funding gap

KMTC CEO Kelly Oluoch told the NG‑CDF Committee that about 20,000 students placed by KUCCPS each cycle cannot enrol because the college is excluded from government scholarship and loan schemes.

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The Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) warned that roughly 20,000 candidates who secure placements through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) fail to enrol each admission cycle because they cannot afford tuition.

KMTC chief executive officer Kelly Oluoch attributed the shortfall to the college’s exclusion from the government scholarship and higher‑education loan programmes that are administered by the Ministry of Education.

Oluoch noted that KMTC, which trains more than 85 percent of Kenya’s health professionals, falls under the Ministry of Health and therefore does not qualify for the financing framework that supports post‑secondary students.

During a hearing of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG‑CDF) Committee on 5 November, committee chair Musa Sirma questioned why the college remains excluded despite its contribution to the health sector.

MP Clive Gisairo of Kitutu Masaba suggested that KMTC work with KUCCPS to add a disclaimer on the placement portal, alerting applicants that KMTC courses are self‑sponsored and lack government funding.

Oluoch proposed that the upcoming Tertiary Education Funding Authority (TEFA) be placed under the National Treasury to create a cross‑ministerial financing mechanism that would cover institutions like KMTC regardless of their parent ministry.

MPs warned that the funding gap not only deprives qualified, low‑income students of training but also leaves vacant seats that could be filled by applicants able to pay the fees.