Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu has given notice of a motion in the Senate seeking to include Teacher Training College (TTC) students in the government’s Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) funding model.
The notice of motion was issued during the Senate sitting on March 17, 2026, formally introducing the proposal to Parliament in a move that could allow trainee teachers to access loans and financial support through HELB.
In the motion, the Murang’a Senator argues that the current education funding framework excludes diploma and certificate students enrolled in public teacher training colleges, even though these institutions are part of post-secondary education.
HELB Loans for TTC Students
Senator Joe Nyutu says the exclusion has created inequality in access to government support and placed an unfair financial burden on thousands of teacher trainees.
He anchored his proposal on the Constitution, citing Article 43, which guarantees every citizen the right to education, and Article 53, which provides that basic education is free and compulsory.
The Muranga Senator noted that while the Higher Education Funding Model introduced in 2023 focuses on university students and those in technical, vocational, and training institutions, it does not clearly or fully provide for students in TTCs.
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He told the Senate that the omission has resulted in discrimination against TTC students, limiting or completely excluding them from structured government support for tuition, accommodation, and related costs.
Many trainees, he said, are forced to rely on family resources or struggle with unpaid fees, increasing the risk of dropping out.
“The financial burden on teacher trainees, many of whom come from marginalised backgrounds, threatens the sustainability of the teacher supply chain,” Senator Nyutu stated.
The Senator linked the funding gap to the ongoing transition to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which is increasing demand for qualified and well-trained teachers.
He warned that the financial pressure facing teacher trainees, many of whom come from low-income and marginalised backgrounds, threatens the sustainability of the country’s teacher supply.
A Ready Market
The Senator stated that Kenya has dozens of public and private TTCs that admit thousands of students every year to train teachers for early childhood, primary, and junior secondary education.
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These institutions, he said, play a critical role in staffing schools across the country, particularly in rural areas.
Under the motion, the Senate would urge the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with HELB, to formally integrate teacher-training college students into the new funding model.
The proposal also calls for the development of clear regulations and guidelines to define eligibility criteria for TTC students.
These guidelines would cover tuition support, reasonable accommodations, and other essential costs, aligning teacher trainees with other higher education learners who already benefit from state-backed loans and grants.
Recent changes to student financing have placed greater emphasis on need-based support, with funding decisions tied to household income and vulnerability.
Extending the framework to TTC students would expand the number of beneficiaries and is likely to raise budget considerations, an issue expected to feature prominently when the motion is debated.
The motion is still at the notice stage and has not yet been debated or voted on.
If adopted by the Senate, it would be transmitted to the national government for implementation, potentially reshaping how teacher training is financed in Kenya.
Senator Nyutu’s move draws renewed attention to the role of teacher training colleges in the higher education system and puts pressure on policymakers to address long-standing funding gaps in the education sector.
