According to Ogamba, KMTC students cannot borrow money from Helb.
The Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Ogamba, informed Parliament that students at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) have not been receiving funds from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) because of a budget shortfall.
Some universities and training institutions, according to Ogamba, were outside the purview of the ministry and managed their budgets through the appropriate ministries.
The CS told the National Assembly’s Education and Health committees that HELB received Sh84.5 billion in funding for this financial year, compared to a need of Sh138.5 billion.
The budget allotted to HELB for financing students is often for a predetermined number of students in universities and other colleges, and the estimates are based on data from universities and other institutions under the Ministry of Education, he said, adding that he would want to notify Parliament that HELB provides estimates for both new and returning students.
According to Ogamba, HELB has given KMTC Sh1.2 billion in assistance in 2022/2023, using funds made available by the college via the Ministry of Health.
Earlier, the CS stated that HELB gave KMTC students Sh468 million in loans between 2014 and 2019 with USAID’s backing and that the ministry’s policy was to help all students seeking higher education.
The elephant in the room is that HELB should be given the responsibility of supporting all students in higher education institutions, that funding must follow, and that it is obvious that we have not denied financing to students in higher education institutions while still struggling to stay within budget, he added.
The KMTC, which has 68,000 students spread across 90 campuses throughout the nation, is required by the Constitution to provide support for its students, according to CEO Kelly Oluoch, who testified before lawmakers.
The exclusion of the college from regular funding raises fundamental questions about equity, equality, and non-discrimination, which are firmly rooted in the Kenyan Constitution of 2010. Article 27 of the Constitution states that everyone is equal before the law.
The State may be failing in its constitutional obligation to promote equal educational possibilities by HELB limiting financial support to students at institutions under the Ministry of Education, he argued.
“Currently, KMTC is constantly looking for financial help to make sure that no student misses out on education, and we have an unpaid school fee debt of Sh1.5 billion. According to our data, 27% of our students postpone their education because they cannot afford the tuition, and 34% of those who are accepted do not show up.