Kindiki promises HELB loans for KMTC students
By Mabonga Makhanu, December 4, 2025Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has promised that Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funding will soon be extended to Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) students.
While speaking during the graduation ceremony for KMTC students at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on Thursday, December 4, 2025, Kindiki said he had decided to personally take up the issue to ensure medical students—who have long survived without HELB support unlike learners in other tertiary institutions—begin receiving the loans to help them with their education and welfare.
Kindiki further assured the students that he will convene the required stakeholders next week, including the Health Cabinet Secretary, the Finance Cabinet Secretary, and the Cabinet Secretary for Education, to agree on the modalities and formulas on how KMTC students will start accessing HELB loans.
“Mimi nimeambiwa ya kwamba wanafunzi wa KMTC hawapati HELB loan; serikali imesikia hio ombi. Mimi naenda kusanya wale wanahusika: Waziri wa Hazina, wa Afya na Waziri wa Elimu wiki ijayo,” Kindiki said.
“I have been convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that KMTC students need to receive HELB loans. We are working on modalities and formulas on how we can begin helping students to receive HELB,” he said.
He also stated that he had been informed of the shortage of tutors across KMTC institutions, with the colleges demanding at least 1,000 tutors to fill the gap. He assured them that more tutors will be employed next year to address the shortage.
This comes at a time when KMTC students have been going without any form of state support in the form of loans, unlike university and other tertiary institution students.
Previously, KMTC learners received funding known as the Afya Loan from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), but the programme was halted after the US government stopped the funding, leaving students in limbo.
KMTC funding
Another reason KMTC students lacked access to HELB loans is that KMTC falls under the Ministry of Health and not the Ministry of Education.
To qualify for HELB, a student’s programme must fall under the Ministry of Education—something that has long locked out KMTC trainees.
Another group that also does not enjoy HELB support are diploma students studying in universities. They can only access the loan when pursuing their degree programmes after completing their diplomas.