Concern as 20,000 Students Abandon KMTC Training Slots Due to Lack of Gov’t Funding

The Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) has raised concerns over the growing number of students failing to take up training opportunities because they cannot afford tuition fees.

Appearing before the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) Committee on Thursday, November 5, KMTC CEO Kelly Oluoch revealed that approximately 20,000 students placed through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) fail to report for admission during each placement cycle after discovering that they are not eligible for government scholarships or loans.

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The committee, chaired by Eldama Ravine MP Musa Sirma, was receiving updates from KMTC management on projects financed through NG-CDF and reviewing constituencies hosting the college's campuses.

Oluoch told MPs that the college played a central role in developing Kenya's healthcare workforce, training more than 85 per cent of the country's health professionals. 

However, its students continued to face financial difficulties because KMTC falls under the Ministry of Health and is consequently excluded from the government funding framework administered through the Ministry of Education.

"KMTC should not have to leave the Ministry of Health to get funded. National financing legislation should recognize KMTC trainees as post-secondary students deserving equitable state funding," Oluoch told MPs.

The funding gap has created challenges for both prospective students and the institution, with thousands unable to take up admission opportunities despite securing placements.

The situation has also raised concerns about the efficient utilisation of available training slots.

Members of the committee observed that the exclusion from government financial assistance resulted in qualified students losing opportunities because they could not meet the cost of training. 

At the same time, other applicants who could afford the fees missed out because the available places had already been allocated.

Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo proposed that KMTC work with KUCCPS to ensure applicants understood the financial requirements before selecting courses, arguing that early disclosure would help candidates make informed decisions.

"You need a disclaimer during the courses application, informing students that there's no funding from government for KMTC courses. You should collaborate with KUCCPS for a pop-up message on their portal so that students get the information that those courses are self-sponsored," he said.

However, Sirma called for a broader intervention, questioning why KMTC students remained outside the national higher education financing framework despite the institution's contribution to the healthcare sector.

Sirma pointed out that the exclusion was difficult to justify given the college's role in training the majority of Kenya's healthcare workforce and the substantial resources allocated to education financing.

"It makes no sense for KMTC which trains over 85% of healthcare workers to be left out simply because it sits under the Ministry of Health rather than the Ministry of Education," he stated.

As a long-term solution, Ouch proposed that the planned Tertiary Education Funding Authority (TEFA) be placed under the National Treasury to coordinate financing for tertiary institutions across different government departments.

The proposal would provide a funding framework that recognises eligible students based on their training needs rather than the administrative ministry under which their colleges operate.

Elsewhere, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has warned the public against fraudulent job advertisements circulating online.

In a notice issued on Thursday, November 5, the Authority dismissed a WhatsApp message advertising alleged internal job vacancies within its Accounts and Procurement departments.

The message, which has been forwarded multiple times, claims that KRA is recruiting for the positions of Revenue Officer under Grade 2 in the Accounts Department and Procurement Officer under Grade 1.

It further lists academic qualifications for the alleged vacancies, including bachelor’s degrees in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics and Statistics, as well as CPA qualifications and supply chain management credentials.

Applicants are instructed to submit their CVs and academic documents to an email address provided in the message, which also includes a Gmail address copied into the communication.

However, KRA has distanced itself from the recruitment message, warning that it is fraudulent and was not issued by the Authority.

“We wish to alert the public about a fraudulent WhatsApp message circulating about job vacancies within the Authority," the notice read.

The tax agency clarified that all genuine employment opportunities are communicated through its official platforms.

"Please note that this message is fake and does not originate from KRA. All legitimate KRA job opportunities are advertised through our official channels, including our website, kra.go.ke," the notice added.