Siaya set to get a second medical training college
What you need to know:
- KMTC board chairman Phillip Kaloki on Wednesday said the institution will give priority to students from the County to improve service delivery in the area.
- Prof Kaloki has also directed area MP Jakoyo Midiwo and the county government to cooperate with the KMTC management board in order to ensure that the missing infrastructure and human resource are fixed.
- The MP said that the CDF had allocated Sh5 million in the 2014/2015 Financial Year and an additional Sh10 million in this financial year for the sake of ensuring that the KMTC board approves the institution.
Siaya will be the first county to host two government sponsored medical colleges after the board cleared another institution to be set up in Gem.
The institution, to be called Rera Medical College, is set to admit its first 150 students in September after it was cleared by the Kenya Medical Training College Board.
KMTC board chairman Phillip Kaloki on Wednesday said the institution will give priority to students from the County to improve service delivery in the area.
The Gem institution will bring to two the number of medical colleges in the county that currently hosts Siaya Medical Training College.
It will be the first county in Kenya to have two medical training colleges. KMTC currently has 38 constituent colleges spread countrywide.
Prof Kaloki listed medical engineering, community nutrition and medical records as the main courses that will be offered to the students.
“The medical Training Institution starts operations in the month of September where we have reserved 30 per cent of the total student population to those from this region as a way of encouraging them to pursue higher education,” said Prof Kaloki in Gem constituency.
Prof Kaloki has also directed area MP Jakoyo Midiwo and the county government to cooperate with the KMTC management board in order to ensure that the missing infrastructure and human resource are fixed.
He said that the institution is faced with a shortage of 50 computers, a library, books, office and classroom furniture, skilled staff such as Laboratory technicians and lecturers.
“The institution has a long way to go, but this can be achieved if the MP worked closely with the County Government to address these shortfalls and ensure that the Rera dispensary is expanded to provide attachment opportunity to the trainees,” said Prof Kaloki.
Mr Midiwo thanked the KMTC board for approving the institution arguing that it will provide the locals with opportunities for their economic growth.
The MP said that the CDF had allocated Sh5 million in the 2014/2015 Financial Year and an additional Sh10 million in this financial year for the sake of ensuring that the KMTC board approves the institution.
“Rera Youth Polytechnic will be merged with the upcoming Rera Medical Training College in order to accommodate all the students in the institution. We started refurbishing the dispensary for the past three years in order to be cleared by the KMTC board,” said Mr Midiwo.
His sentiments were supported by Siaya Deputy Governor Mr Wilson Ouma who said that the place will be compared to towns like Yala and Bondo which register improved economic growth as a result of the institutions of higher learning in the towns.
“The county government will support the education institution since that is the only way of ensuring the locals engage positively in economic activities that will help boost the economic growth of the county,” said Mr Onyango.
