President William Ruto has directed that students at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) be included in the new tertiary education funding framework as the government moves to consolidate education financing under a single system.

Speaking on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, during the commissioning of the KMTC Gucha Campus in Kisii County, the Head of State directed Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to ensure the college is captured in the new system.

“As you work around the Bill, ensure KMTC students receive an allocation for the next semester,” he said.

The shift follows the tabling of the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill in Parliament, which had been approved by the cabinet. The bill seeks to merge the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), the TVET Fund, the University Fund and Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) into a single structure to improve efficiency in student support across institutions.

Students across all KMTC campuses are set to benefit from expanded education funding under proposed reforms aimed at merging tertiary education financing into one entity to streamline support for learners.

Earlier, Ogamba confirmed that the Bill is currently before Parliament and proposes funding support for all tertiary learners, including those enrolled at KMTC, effectively addressing long-standing gaps in student financing for middle-level colleges.

Strengthening KMTC capacity

Beyond funding, the government has also signalled plans to strengthen KMTC’s capacity, with additional resources earmarked for staff recruitment to match rising enrolment.

With over 71 campuses across the country and being government-sponsored, the KMTC has emerged as one of the more lucrative institutions in the country, attracting students pursuing higher learning in the medical field.

The enticement of KMTC’s programmes also lies in their direct link to employment in the public health sector.

Recent data from the Ministry of Health estimated that over 85 per cent of Kenya’s medical workforce passed through KMTC at some point. 

The reforms come as access to KMTC programmes expands following a policy shift in student placement.

The Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) began placing students to KMTC for the 2025–26 academic year, with the first application window opening in January 2025 for the March 2026 intake.

Previously, students used to apply for admission directly to KMTC. The integration into the KUCCPS platform now allows Form Four leavers from 2000 to 2025 to apply for KMTC diploma and certificate courses alongside university and TVET programmes.

On March 3, 2026, KUCCPS reopened the portal for the March intake, setting a March 13 deadline, before reopening again on March 29 to allow course revisions and fresh applications for 21 programmes that remained undersubscribed.