Macmillan College Launches Scholarship, Women in Tech Programs, Urges Equal Funding for Private TVET Students.

Macmillan College Launches Scholarship, Women in Tech Programs, Urges Equal Funding for Private TVET Students.

Josphat Ochieng addresses the media during the launch of the Afya Bora Scholarship Program and Women in Tech Empowerment Program, initiatives aimed at expanding access to healthcare and technology training opportunities for vulnerable youth and women in Kenya

By Jeff Oyugi 

Nairobi - May 8, 2026

The Director of Macmillan Medical Training College, Josphat Ochieng, has called on the government to expand access to education funding for students in accredited private colleges, arguing that equal opportunity in education is critical to addressing unemployment, healthcare workforce shortages, and economic inequality in Kenya.

Speaking during the launch of the Afya Bora Scholarship Program and the Women in Tech Empowerment Program, Ochieng said the initiatives were designed to give vulnerable youth and women access to practical, employable training opportunities that could transform their lives and contribute to national development.

He described the event as more than just an institutional launch, saying it represented a broader conversation about the future of Kenya and whether education would continue to benefit only a privileged few or become a tool for social and economic transformation.

“Today’s event is about the young person who has completed Form Four but cannot afford college fees. It is about the talented girl or woman from an ordinary family who dreams of entering the technology space but lacks opportunity,” Ochieng said.

He noted that Kenya continues to face rising youth unemployment, economic hardship among families, and overstretched healthcare systems even as the global economy rapidly evolves through technology, artificial intelligence, and digital innovation.

According to Ochieng, training institutions must move beyond traditional education models and become part of the solution to the country’s socio-economic challenges.

The newly launched Afya Bora Scholarship Program will provide full and partial sponsorships to deserving students pursuing accredited healthcare and medical training programs. The initiative aims to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds who would otherwise struggle to access tertiary education.

At the same time, the Women in Tech Empowerment Program, launched in partnership with NIA Innovation and Technology Training College, seeks to increase women’s participation in the technology sector through fully sponsored training opportunities for women aged between 18 and 40 years.

Ochieng said the programs were intended to bridge both economic and digital inequalities by ensuring that talented young people from marginalized communities are not excluded from opportunities because of poverty.

“We believe that talent should never be buried because of poverty,” he said. “A student from Kibera, Turkana, Mathare, Kisii, Migori, Garissa, or any part of this country deserves the same opportunity to succeed.”

He emphasized that modern education must focus on employability, innovation, and practical skills that directly respond to labor market demands.

The director said the initiatives align with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda and are being implemented under accredited Technical and Vocational Education and Training standards regulated by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) and the Curriculum Development, Assessment and Certification Council (CDACC).

According to Ochieng, the college aims to produce graduates who are academically qualified, competent, compassionate, and globally competitive.

He particularly highlighted the importance of strengthening Kenya’s healthcare workforce as the country pushes toward achieving Universal Health Coverage.

Ochieng observed that healthcare systems cannot function effectively without adequately trained frontline personnel such as caregivers, healthcare assistants, emergency responders, community health workers, and digital health support staff.

He said private medical colleges were playing a critical role in complementing government efforts by training healthcare workers needed across the country.

However, he expressed concern that many students enrolled in accredited private institutions continue to face difficulties accessing financial support through government-sponsored funding programs such as the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).

The director urged the government to review existing funding structures and ensure that students in accredited private colleges and TVET institutions are not excluded from educational financing opportunities.

“A student studying in an accredited private college is still a Kenyan child deserving support, opportunity, and dignity,” he said.

He argued that educational support should be based on students’ needs and potential rather than the type of institution they attend.

“If the country is serious about reducing unemployment, strengthening healthcare systems, fighting poverty, and empowering youth, then support must be based on need and potential not simply whether one studies in a public or private institution,” Ochieng stated.

He termed the exclusion of private college students from some funding opportunities discriminatory and called for policy reforms to create equal access to education financing.

On the Women in Tech Empowerment Program, Ochieng said the initiative seeks to address the underrepresentation of women in technology and innovation spaces.

He noted that despite technology increasingly shaping economies, healthcare, education, communication, and business globally, women remain disproportionately excluded from digital opportunities.

“We cannot speak about digital transformation while excluding half the population from the digital economy,” he said.

The program will offer training in areas such as programming, digital entrepreneurship, innovation, and emerging technologies, with the aim of equipping women with skills required in the modern economy.

Ochieng said empowering women in technology would not only promote gender equality but also strengthen Kenya’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.

He further noted that the two initiatives align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including quality education, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, innovation and infrastructure, and good health and well-being.

The director called on the media to help amplify awareness of the programs so that vulnerable students and women across the country can benefit from the opportunities being offered.

He said media platforms have the power to restore hope among young people who feel locked out of education and employment opportunities.

“We believe Kenya does not lack talent. What many young people lack is opportunity,” Ochieng said. “Institutions like ours must become bridges between talent and opportunity.”

He also thanked the institution’s partners, staff, parents, students, and supporters for backing the college’s vision of promoting practical training, innovation, employability, healthcare transformation, and youth empowerment.

Ochieng reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to contributing to national development by preparing young Kenyans for the evolving demands of the healthcare and technology sectors.