The National Assembly Committee of Health has revoked placements of Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) students conducted by the Kenya University and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) terming them an illegality.
The committee chaired by Endebess Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Pukose yesterday directed that the process to be conducted afresh by the KMTC board.
Effectively, the over 42,000 students who applied to join KMTC in September 2023 to pursue health-related courses will now have to wait longer to know their fate.
The committee has further directed Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha to advertise the programs afresh.
This is after Parliament Thursday nullified the placement process undertaken by the The National Assembly imposed the suspension citing alleged illegalities.
The parliamentary committee on Health determined that the placement process was conducted illegally and was “marred with illegalities.” The Robert Pukose-led committee declared the process null and void.
“It is obvious that the process is null and void, there is a court order that clearly says placement of students should be done by the KMTC board, therefore, KUCCPS conducting the placement is illegal,” said Pukose.
Also the committee ruled that the students who had paid Sh2,000 for application, will not be required to make fresh payments when applying afresh.
KUCCPS which for the first time onboarded the medical course applications onto its system has been directed to transfer the money to KMTC
Interested candidates had until August 4, 2023, to apply for the September 2023 semester.
Earlier, KUCCPS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mercy Muthoni Thursday who appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Health revealed that 42,610 had applied for different courses as such over 30,000 students would miss out on the admissions.
The committee also ruled that KUCCPS should transfer a total of Sh8.4million that has been paid by the applicants to KMTC.
“It should be clear that the student who had paid the application fee should not repay when reapplying, but on how the selection will be done, we will leave it to the board.” Pukose said.
Nakhumicha appeared before the committee to explain the rationale for allowing KUCCPS to do placements despite the law putting the mandate on KMTC board.
“There is a court stopping any association between KUCCPS and KMTC, are you not aware that you were breaking the law? Did you seek advice from the AG?” Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli posed.
“KUCCPS is a stranger in this placement, we should throw them out, and allow the board to take over.” He added.
The CS had defended the decision to allow KUCCPS conduct the placement process, saying she was acting on an executive order.
42,000 students had applied for a chance to join KMTC colleges, although KUCCPS had only placed 11,975 (28 per cent) of the applicants, with over 30,000 missing out.