The Ministry of Education, Teachers Service Commission and Kenya National Union of Teachers top officials were forced to explain the sudden shift to the Social Health Authority scheme after head teachers raised concerns about transparency, benefits and lack of public participation.
The migration of more than 300,000 teachers employed by TSC from the current medical insurance provided by a consortium led by Minet Kenya Ltd will take effect on December 1, 2025.
The top Ministry of Education and teachers’ union officials faced a tense moment at the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) conference in Mombasa as thousands of head teachers demanded answers over their abrupt transition from Minet to the Social Health Authority (SHA) cover.
SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, TSC acting chief executive officer Eveleen Mitei, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Collins Oyuu, and SHA chief executive officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi took turns explaining the move to the administrators of more than 23,000 primary school heads attending the conference.
“The issue of the transition to SHA is a good one. I saw the SHA team here, but I noticed the package for maternity is different for different cadres. I thought it is the same,” said the CS briefly before reading President William Ruto’s speech.
Teachers Service Commission Acting CEO Eveleen Mitei before the National Assembly Committee on Implementation at Bunge Tower Nairobi on July 29, 2025.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation
However, the head teachers accused the government and unions of making the decision without proper consultations, saying they were left in the dark and are now uncertain about the future of their medical benefits.
“It is too late. They made the decision without consulting us. Normally, you are supposed to conduct public participation, but this was forced and rushed. Are these the goodies promised at State House?” asked a head teacher from Trans Nzoia.
“We are the largest employees, it was evident. I wonder why our officials couldn’t see the trap they were setting up when they went to State House,” said the head teacher from Kakamega.
Despite efforts by officials to justify the transition as part of broader healthcare reforms under the Universal Health Coverage agenda, many teachers remained unconvinced and pressed for clarity on benefits, deductions, and access to facilities under SHA.
The medical cover debate added to the growing list of grievances raised by the educators, including delayed capitation, poor infrastructure, and the ongoing audit of schools.
However, Kepsha national chairman Fuad Ali said the matter had not been officially discussed at the conference.
Kenya Primary School Heads Association chairperson Fuad Ali.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
“The right thing to do is to hear it from the horse’s mouth. We shall make our stand once we are well informed about the medical scheme,” said Mr Ali.
Mr Oyuu rallied the teachers to support the transition, assuring them that they had not lost their comprehensive medical cover.
“It is on everyone’s lips that teachers have gone to SHA. What we must understand is that this is a comprehensive cover now managed under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF). It is not that we have lost anything; it has simply been moved to the public fund,” said Mr Oyuu.
“We looked at Minet against what is said to be improved in POMSF, and we ask TSC to circulate to all schools what they took us through, so teachers can understand the new scheme. The Bible is very clear, my people perish for lack of knowledge,” he said.
Ms Mitei echoed the sentiment, saying TSC has all the information regarding the new comprehensive medical cover.
“We have walked with all of you through the Minet journey, and now we want to shift gears to see what POMSF has to offer. We have engaged all key stakeholders, including unions and associations and combed through every regulation governing medical schemes,” said Ms Mitei.
She added that the TSC board has given policy directions to ensure teachers continue receiving a comprehensive medical cover.
Dr Mwangangi said in the last 13 months, her agency has served six million Kenyans. The SHA boss said parliament has appropriated and allocated Sh13 billion for primary healthcare.
“To date, 27.4 million Kenyans have registered into SHA. What is the value that they get? They are able to walk in and access primary healthcare services without paying for them. Teachers, you are important constituents, be our champions, support us so that Kenyans can access the primary healthcare services,” said Dr Mwangangi.
