Nurses who graduate from the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) with a higher diploma are set to start earning equal, higher salaries as their nursing degree counterparts.
This comes barely days after the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) elevated the higher diploma from KMTC to the same level as a Bachelor’s degree.
KMTC higher diploma now equivalent to Bachelor’s degree
Following this elevation, KNQA has opened talks with the Public Service Commission to have the salaries of the higher diploma nurses from KMTC upgraded to the same level as those of nurses holding nursing degrees.
“We have already talked with PSC and presented our framework to them for review,” said Dr Juma Mukhwana, director-general and chief executive of the KNQA.
“According to the framework, if one has an ordinary diploma and studies for two years for the higher diploma, then that qualification you get is equivalent to Level 7, which is the same as a degree.”
The higher national diploma qualifications from KMTC now fall in the KNQA Level 7. This makes the higher diploma equivalent to the bachelor’s degree, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) III, Certified Public Secretary (CPS) or Master Craft Person I.
According to KNQA, graduates from the Kenya Medical Training College will only be verified for the new status if their higher diploma has met specific conditions. For instance, the higher diploma must be of two years or more and in the same line as what was studied in the ordinary diploma.
