Kenyan teachers have warned that they will reject the new Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover unless the TSC provides a clear breakdown of benefits, hospital networks, and group life cover by December 1, 2025.
Kenya’s teachers are pushing back hard against the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) plan to migrate them to the new Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover starting December 1, 2025.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) have warned that without full disclosure, the transition could spark unrest across schools. Both unions accuse TSC of secrecy and failure to engage key stakeholders before implementing the new scheme.
KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu has led the charge, demanding a comprehensive explanation of how the new plan will operate. “Before December 1, we must be shown the full benefits, hospital network, and guarantees that no teacher will be stranded in a health facility,” he said.
Oyuu emphasized that teachers “will not be guinea pigs” for a system they do not understand. He added that under Minet, teachers had already faced major challenges, including approval delays, limited hospital options, and lack of group life cover.
KUPPET Secretary-General Akelo Misori called on TSC to halt the rollout until teachers’ concerns are addressed. “The livelihoods of more than 400,000 teachers are on the line. Implementing SHA without proper structures and benefits would be reckless,” he warned.
Union officials say they are not opposed to reform but want the process to be transparent and participatory. They insist that the government must present a comprehensive service breakdown, showing how teachers will access healthcare, what hospitals are included, and what improvements are being introduced.
TSC maintains that SHA will offer better services by expanding the number of accessible facilities from 800 under Minet to more than 9,000 across the country. But union leaders remain skeptical, saying many of the listed hospitals are dispensaries or lower-tier facilities that cannot handle complex medical needs.
As negotiations continue, one issue unites teachers across Kenya they want quality healthcare, not confusion. Unless TSC meets these demands, unions have hinted at taking “firm action” to protect teachers’ welfare.
