President William Ruto’s government has suffered a setback after a section of teachers flatly rejected the proposal to move them into the Social Health Authority (SHA) medical insurance scheme.
The pushback is being led by officials from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), with Nakuru branch boss Anthony Gioshe making it clear that teachers will not accept being forced into the new scheme.
Their current medical cover with a private insurer is almost expiring, but teachers insist they would rather negotiate for their own independent plan than join SHA.
According to Gioshe, teachers have little faith in the new state-run scheme, especially after hearing complaints from other civil servants, including police officers, who have raised alarm about the frustrations and limitations of SHA when seeking medical care.
“We have heard stories from government about moving us to SHA. We have no personal problem with the Social Health Authority, but we are saying this clearly—we are not going there,” Gioshe declared.
He stressed that teachers form the largest single workforce in the public service, as confirmed by a Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) report released on Monday, September 8, which ranked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) as the biggest employer in the civil service.
Because of this, Gioshe argued, teachers deserve an independent and reliable medical insurance cover tailored to their needs.
Currently, the existing teachers’ medical cover is considered more comprehensive. It not only caters for the teacher but also extends to their spouse and up to four children. The benefits include inpatient and outpatient services, maternity, dental, and optical care, in addition to group life insurance and last-expense funeral cover.
Teachers also highlighted the convenience of the existing system, where they can access services without carrying a physical medical card.
Instead, accredited hospitals recognize them through their payroll numbers or biometric verification, making the process smooth and efficient.
In contrast, SHA has faced criticism, with some public servants previously complaining about double deductions—money being deducted for both SHA and their existing medical cover. This controversy forced the government to intervene, with Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok promising that the issue of double deductions would be reviewed to avoid unnecessary financial strain on teachers.
Despite these assurances, teachers remain unconvinced. Their rejection of SHA comes just days before a high-stakes meeting with President Ruto at State House, Nairobi, scheduled for Friday, September 12.
More than 3,000 teachers’ representatives are expected at the talks, including officials from KNUT, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), and the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA).
The meeting is expected to focus on pressing issues facing the education sector, but with tensions already high, the SHA controversy is likely to dominate discussions.
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