The government is gearing up to roll out directives requiring all schools nationwide to admit only students who are registered under the Taifa Care health program starting next year.
Senior government advisor Moses Kuria disclosed the plan, highlighting the government’s commitment to ensuring that all students are enrolled in the Social Health Authority (SHA), recently renamed Taifa Care by President William Ruto.
Kuria emphasized that the current enrollment rate among students remains low and underscored the need for stringent measures to promote the health insurance scheme’s adoption.
Kuria warned parents of the impending consequences for non-compliance.
He stated, “If you are a parent who has registered yourself for SHA but failed to register your child, the records maintained at your child’s school will be invalidated this January.”
He added, “Starting January, all student records in schools will be set aside unless the child is registered under Taifa Care. Only then will they be allowed back to school.”
This announcement follows the government’s clarification that parents can register all their dependents under Taifa Care without restrictions, provided they are financially responsible for them.
Additionally, polygamous families will not be required to make separate contributions for each wife, countering earlier speculation about added financial burdens.
As of last week, over 14 million Kenyans were registered under the new health scheme.
This figure includes 8 million new registrations and 6 million transitions from the now-defunct National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Although the Ministry of Education has yet to officially comment on Moses Kuria’s remarks, it has already confirmed that schools across the country will reopen for the first term on January 6, 2025.
The term is set to run for 13 weeks, concluding on April 4.
This directive underscores the government’s broader strategy to universalize health insurance coverage, particularly among school-going children, by tying it to school enrollment.
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