NAIROBI, Kenya — The government has committed to extending financial support to students at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), via the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), the Deputy President announced Thursday, as hundreds graduated at Kasarani Stadium.
During the 2025 KMTC graduation ceremony, Deputy President Rigathi Gachikia Kindiki said he has been persuaded that KMTC students — many from needy families — deserve access to HELB funding that has hitherto been reserved mainly for university students.
“I’ve been convinced that we must support KMTC students through HELB,” Kindiki stated. He pledged to meet with relevant Cabinet Secretaries from the Treasury, Education and Health in the coming week to work out a framework for the financing.
Currently, KMTC students depend on in-house schemes like the Afya Elimu Fund or the KMTC Students’ Financing Scheme, which cover only tuition and pay fees directly to the college.
In contrast, HELB support for university students includes a substantial non-repayable scholarship component — ranging from 30pc to 70pc depending on need — plus a separate upkeep loan disbursed to students’ bank accounts for living costs.
Kindiki described this disparity as unfair to KMTC trainees. “We must fix this inequity — it affects many families,” he said. He added that the government will also ensure students secure jobs in their corresponding professions after graduation.
The announcement was welcomed by many graduating students and their families, who hope the move will make medical training more accessible and ease the financial burden of living and studying.
The Deputy President’s promise marks what could be a major shift in Kenya’s higher education financing — one that expands support beyond universities and into technical and medical training, potentially boosting access, equity and health-sector capacity.
