More than 400,000 teachers and their families face uncertainty over compensation in the event of death, injury or disability after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) disclosed that Sh5.3 billion required for group life, personal accident and workplace injury insurance has not been included in the proposed 2026/27 budget.
In presentations on budget estimates presented by Acting Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Evaleen Mitei, the commission warned that the omission could expose it to court cases because the cover is a legal requirement.
“Group Life, Group Personal Accident and WIBA covers for teachers, estimated at Sh5.3 billion, have not been factored into the proposed budget. Members may note that this is a statutory requirement under the Work Injury Benefits Act, 2007 and the Public Service Superannuation Act, therefore posing a risk of attracting litigation against the Commission,” said Ms Mitei.
According to the teacher employer, the three insurance schemes are a critical safety net for teachers and secretariat staff. Group Life Insurance provides financial support to beneficiaries when an employee dies, Group Personal Accident compensates staff who suffer accidental injury or permanent disability, while benefits under the Work Injury Benefits Act (WIBA) cover workplace injuries and occupational diseases.
The insurance shortfall is likely to heighten concerns among teachers and unions, which have consistently argued that welfare benefits are an essential part of employment terms and should be fully funded.
In March this year, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) issued a seven-day strike notice over what it described as the collapse of teachers’ medical cover under the Social Health Authority, warning that educators were being denied treatment despite monthly deductions from their salaries.
The union said many teachers had been forced to pay medical bills out of pocket or remained stranded in hospitals as private facilities suspended services over unpaid government claims.
“What is happening now is not what teachers should undergo. If this continues, the lives of the teachers we represent are going to be compromised,” said Kuppet Secretary-General Akello Misori.
Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary General Akello Misori (left) and Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale during a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Health offices in Nairobi on March 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation
The funding gap comes even as the commission grapples with billions of shillings in unpaid obligations linked to the former teachers’ medical scheme.
According to the same budget estimates, TSC still owes Minet Kenya Sh4.448 billion following the expiry of the contract for provision of medical cover for teachers on November 30, 2025.
“The Commission has no stock of historical pending bills. However, following the expiry of the contract for provision of medical cover for teachers with Minet Kenya Limited on November 30, 2025, an amount of Sh7.448 billion remained outstanding,” said Ms Mitei.
TSC said it was allocated Sh3 billion in the Supplementary I Estimates, reducing the balance to Sh4.448 billion, which remains unpaid.
The debt relates to the previous medical insurance arrangement and is separate from the current Mwalimu Comprehensive Medical Scheme under the Social Health Authority.
The commission noted that it has already on-boarded more than 400,000 teachers and one million dependants onto universal health coverage under the Social Health Authority as part of the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
TSC said its proposed budget for the 2026/27 financial year stands at Sh422.652 billion, down by Sh304 million from the Sh422.956 billion approved in the 2026 Budget Policy Statement.
From left: Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) National Chairman Omboko Milemba, KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Evaleen Mitei pose for a photo after a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Health offices in Nairobi on March 10, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation
The commission warned that the reduction “will adversely affect training and/or retooling of teachers on the Competency-Based Education and the management of teacher discipline cases.”
Of the proposed allocation, Sh419.684 billion is earmarked for compensation to employees, Sh2.081 billion for the use of goods and services, and Sh742 million for development expenditure.
TSC also highlighted other unfunded priorities, including Sh800 million needed for field operations to support the phased procurement of motor vehicles and operational expenses, and Sh2.2 billion required for payment of acting allowances to administrators serving in acting positions.
As part of the government’s pledge to address teacher shortages, TSC said it has recruited 100,000 teachers over the past three financial years and plans to convert 20,000 teacher interns to permanent and pensionable terms in the 2026/27 financial year.
