The Ministry of Education has clarified why students at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) are not eligible for funding from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), attributing the exclusion to budgetary limitations rather than legal or policy-based discrimination.
During a parliamentary session held on April 9, 2025, the Speaker of the National Assembly directed the Departmental Committees on Health and Education to jointly address questions raised by Abdi Omar Shurie, MP for Balambala. Shurie had sought explanations on the exclusion of KMTC students from HELB support, alleged discriminatory practices, and the legal framework guiding the allocation of education loans.
In a joint response to the committees, the Ministry stated that HELB, which operates under the Higher Education Loans Board Act of 1995, is legally mandated to support students in institutions recognized by the Commission for University Education.
Since the enactment of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Act in 2013, HELB funding has extended to students in public TVET institutions under the Ministry of Education.
However, the Ministry emphasized that KMTC operates under the Ministry of Health, not the Ministry of Education, and this distinction impacts how budgets are prepared and allocated.
“HELB’s funding estimates are based on data from institutions under the Ministry of Education. KMTC, being outside this scope, is not included in HELB’s budget requests,” the response stated.Current budget constraints have significantly limited HELB’s capacity. The Ministry presented a detailed breakdown showing a funding shortfall of nearly KSh 46 billion in the 2024/2025 financial year for higher education and training institutions.
Despite these constraints, the Ministry pointed out that HELB has previously supported KMTC students using alternative funding sources.
Between 2014 and 2019, KMTC students received KSh 468 million through a USAID partnership. In the last two financial years, an additional KSh 1.2 billion was provided through funds allocated by the Ministry of Health. However, this year’s funding has been cut due to budget reductions.
The Ministry also listed other institutions facing similar challenges, including the Kenya School of Law, Utalii College, and the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication, which have relied on internal mobilization or partnerships to fund their students through HELB.
“There are no legal provisions that bar KMTC students from receiving HELB loans,” the Ministry clarified. “The exclusion is purely due to the lack of funding allocated through the Ministry of Education’s budgeting process.”The Ministry concluded by expressing its willingness to work with stakeholders to expand HELB coverage.
It called on Parliament to support increased budgetary allocations that would allow HELB to extend funding to all tertiary institutions, regardless of the overseeing ministry.
The response was submitted by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba, who urged the two parliamentary committees to support collaborative efforts aimed at ensuring equitable funding for all deserving students in Kenya’s higher education sector.
