By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 2 July 2026 - Thousands of students at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) are set to gain access to government-backed loans and scholarships for the first time under sweeping reforms aimed at creating a unified financing system for tertiary education.
The move closes a longstanding policy gap that left KMTC students excluded from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) despite the institution producing the bulk of Kenya's frontline healthcare workforce.
For years, university and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students have benefited from government financing, while KMTC learners—who fall under the Ministry of Health rather than the Ministry of Education—were largely ineligible for HELB support, forcing many to rely on family resources or private financing.
The reforms follow a directive issued by President William Ruto on 14 April 2026, instructing Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to ensure KMTC students are incorporated into the government's student funding programme beginning with the next academic cycle.
The President reaffirmed the commitment on 23 June 2026, saying KMTC students would now be eligible to apply for HELB funding.
The policy shift comes as the government seeks to harmonise higher education financing through the proposed Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill legislation currently before Parliament.
The Bill proposes the creation of a single national framework by consolidating key institutions involved in student placement and financing, including the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), the University Fund, the TVET Funding Board and the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has said the reforms are intended to eliminate disparities in access to government support by ensuring all eligible tertiary students are financed under one coordinated system, regardless of the institutions they attend.
If enacted, the legislation would represent one of the most significant changes to Kenya's higher education financing architecture since the establishment of HELB three decades ago.
The reforms are also expected to strengthen the country's health sector by reducing financial barriers that have prevented qualified students from enrolling or completing medical training.
KMTC is Kenya's largest middle-level health training institution, producing nurses, clinical officers, laboratory technologists, pharmacists, nutritionists and other healthcare professionals who form the backbone of the country's public and private health systems.
More from Kenya
Education analysts say extending government financing to KMTC students could increase enrolment, reduce dropout rates and ease the financial burden on households at a time when the demand for skilled healthcare workers continues to rise.
According to HELB, applications for the 2026 funding cycle are expected to open in July after the completion of KUCCPS placement.
Both newly admitted KMTC students and continuing learners will be eligible to submit applications through the HELB online portal once the process begins.
Successful applicants are expected to receive the first disbursements in September 2026, aligning funding with the commencement of the next academic semester.
The reforms also complement the government's broader agenda of expanding access to affordable education while addressing critical labour shortages in sectors such as healthcare, engineering and technical skills.
For thousands of aspiring health professionals, the inclusion of KMTC in the national student funding framework promises relief from years of financial uncertainty.
If Parliament approves the Bill, the reforms will not only broaden access to tertiary education but also reinforce Kenya's long-term investment in human capital by ensuring that financial constraints no longer stand in the way of training the country's future healthcare workforce.