Members of Parliament are pushing for the inclusion of the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) students as beneficiaries of the Higher Education Loans (Helb) support.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba was yesterday at pains to explain what the lawmakers described as discrimination against the students despite their admission by the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).

“Explain why KMTC are excluded from receiving Helb support while students in other public institutions such as technical training institutions eligible beneficiaries?” said Abdi Shurie (Balambala). 

The CS defended himself, throwing the ball to the Ministry of Health, saying Afya House is responsible for availing funds to the tertiary student funder.

“I think there’s an issue of misalignment with domiciling of KMTC under certain terms in the Ministry of Health that leads to this discrepancy,’ said Ogamba. 

According to the ministry, KMTC students have benefited from Helb twice; in 2013/2014 and 2022/2023. 

Seme MP James Nyikal, who chairs the National Assembly Health Committee, wondered why the government had to get support from USAID. He also noted a legal tussle on whether KMTC students should be admitted by KUCCPS.

Speaker Moses Wetang’ula directed CS Ogamba to convene a meeting with his Health counterpart to resolve the issue. 

“I’ll direct chair of Health committee and Education to arrange and meet the CS and bring a report to this House in two weeks on the steps taken to ensure that KMTC students access Helb loan facilities and any other tertiary institutions students because these are public resources and these are deserving cases,” he said. 

The National Treasury has allocated Sh500 million in the 2024/2025 supplementary budget to reinstate the HELB sponsorship programme to KMTC students.