Deal Struck Amidst Opposition

Top officials from the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) are holding their ground on the decision to transition all 400,000-plus teachers to the new Social Health Authority (SHA) medical scheme, a move slated to take effect on Thursday, December 1, 2025. The transition marks a major policy shift, moving teachers and their dependents from the private Minet Kenya-led consortium to a unified, state-managed healthcare fund.

The directive has been a subject of intense negotiation for months. An agreement was formally reached on Monday, November 10, 2025, between the TSC and leaders of the major teachers' unions, including the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET). However, the resolution has not quelled all dissent, with primary school headteachers voicing strong opposition this week, citing a lack of consultation.

Government's Rationale: A Unified System

According to government officials, the migration is a critical component of broader health reforms aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The move is driven by the Social Health Insurance Act of 2023, which replaced the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) with the SHA. The primary objective is to integrate all public servants into a single, streamlined medical scheme, which officials argue will enhance efficiency, accountability, and service delivery.

At the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) conference in Mombasa on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, SHA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mercy Mwangangi defended the switch. She stated that the SHA promises teachers access to a vastly expanded network of over 9,000 health facilities nationwide, a significant increase from the approximately 800 available under the Minet plan. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and TSC acting CEO Eveleen Mitei echoed these sentiments, assuring teachers of improved and uninterrupted medical services.

Teachers' Fears and Union Demands

The journey to the November 10 agreement was fraught with resistance. For months, teachers' unions vehemently opposed the move, raising concerns about a potential reduction in benefits, lack of transparency, and the exclusion of members from the decision-making process. Unions had warned that a hurried transition could jeopardize the health and welfare of hundreds of thousands of teachers and their families.

Key demands tabled by the unions included the preservation of existing benefits such as comprehensive outpatient and inpatient cover, group life insurance, and last expense payouts. They also sought clarity on contribution rates and guarantees against the bureaucratic hurdles and service delays that had plagued the previous scheme. KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu had been vocal, insisting that teachers would not be rushed into a vague system without full disclosure.

Lingering Dissent Among Educators

Despite the formal agreement with union leadership, discontent is simmering at the grassroots level. During the Kepsha conference in Mombasa, numerous headteachers protested the decision, accusing their union officials of signing the deal without adequate member sensitization or consent. Some delegates reportedly walked out of the meeting hall when the agreement was announced, signaling a potential rift between union leadership and its members.

One headteacher, Sarah Muhonja of Zimbalo Primary School, expressed deep concern over the uncertainty surrounding the new cover, a sentiment echoed by other school administrators who feel uninformed about the specifics of the SHA package. This resistance from a crucial segment of the teaching fraternity presents a new challenge for the TSC and the Ministry as they push for a seamless transition by the December 1 deadline.

The Path Forward

To oversee the complex migration, a joint technical committee has been established, comprising representatives from the TSC, SHA, and the teachers' unions. TSC acting CEO Eveleen Mitei has assured teachers that the commission has revamped its medical division to manage the new scheme effectively and has begun sensitizing its staff to support educators through the change. The SHA framework will be managed under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF) and will cover a teacher, a spouse, and up to five children. As the deadline approaches, all eyes are on the Ministry and the TSC to see if they can address the remaining concerns and ensure the promised benefits of the new national health scheme materialize for Kenya's educators.