Helb doesn’t have funds to lend to KMTC students, states Ogamba.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba informed Parliament that students from the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) have not been receiving funding from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) because of a budget shortfall.
Ogamba explained that certain universities and training institutions fall outside the ministry’s scope and manage their budgets via relevant ministries.
The CS, who appeared before the Education and Health committees of the National Assembly, disclosed that HELB had been granted Sh84. 5 billion for this financial year, whereas the requirement was Sh138. 5 billion.
“I wish to notify Parliament that HELB submits estimates for both new and continuing students, based on information supplied by universities and other institutions under the Ministry of Education, with the budget allotted to HELB designated for funding a typically predetermined number of students in universities and other institutions,” he stated.
Ogamba indicated that HELB had supported KMTC to the tune of Sh1. 2 billion during the 2022/2023 period based on resources provided by the college through the Ministry of Health.
The CS noted that previously, HELB had allocated Sh468 million for loans to KMTC students based on the backing received from USAID over five years from 2014 to 2019 and emphasized that it is the ministry’s policy to assist all students pursuing higher education.
“If HELB is tasked with the responsibility of supporting all students in higher learning institutions, funding must be ensured, and it is evident that we have not declined to fund students in higher learning institutions, with the ongoing challenge being budget-related, which is the significant issue at hand,” he remarked.
KMTC Chief Executive Officer Kelly Oluoch conveyed to MPs that the Constitution mandates support for students at the institution, which has an enrollment of 68,000 students and 90 campuses nationwide.
Dr. Oluoch pointed out that the college’s exclusion from regular funding raises critical issues concerning equity, equality, and non-discrimination, principles firmly enshrined in the 2010 Constitution of Kenya, with Article 27 affirming that every individual is equal before the law.
He argued that by HELB limiting funding to students within institutions under the Ministry of Education, the State might be neglecting its constitutional obligation to promote equal educational opportunities.
“We currently face a shortfall of Sh1. 5 billion in unpaid school fees, with KMTC consistently seeking financial support to ensure that no student is deprived of learning opportunities. We observe that 34 percent of those who gain admission do not report, while 27 percent of our students defer their studies due to financial constraints,” he stated.