TSC Seeking Additional Funding for Teacher Health Cover
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in Kenya is actively seeking additional funding to enroll over 360,000 teachers into the government’s new medical insurance scheme, amid ongoing challenges and debates over the best way to provide comprehensive health coverage for educators nationwide.
Key Takeaways
- TSC is seeking funds to enroll 360,000+ teachers into the SHA health scheme
- Teachers currently have private coverage through Minet Kenya but face access challenges
- SHA declined mass enrollment citing infrastructure limitations and requesting Ksh 37 billion
- The government confirms teachers’ eligibility under SHA’s three main funds
- Resolution is crucial for improving healthcare access for Kenya’s educators
Table of Contents
Background: Current Medical Insurance for Teachers
Currently, all teachers in Kenya are eligible for coverage under the Social Health Authority (SHA), the government-backed health insurance scheme that covers all Kenyan workers contributing 2.75% of their salaries. The SHA benefits package includes access to three key funds: the Primary Healthcare Fund (PHC), the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the Emergency, Critical and Chronic Illness Fund (ECCIF). Teachers and their dependents are entitled to these benefits just like other public servants and informal sector workers.
However, teachers do not receive special treatment under SHA except that the Teachers Service Commission has, since 2015, contracted a private insurance consortium through the broker Minet Kenya to provide a superior medical cover. This private scheme, managed by Medical Administrator Kenya Limited (MAKL), is financed by deducting teachers’ medical allowances and statutory contributions to purchase enhanced benefits beyond what SHA offers.
Challenges and the Push for Enrollment in SHA
Despite the existing private cover, many teachers have faced difficulties accessing timely and quality healthcare. Complaints include delays in payments, high pre-authorisation requirements, drug shortages, and outright denial of services in some hospitals, especially those affiliated with the Rural-Urban and Private Hospitals Association (RUPHA), which suspended services for MAKL patients including teachers.
In early 2025, TSC CEO Nancy Macharia revealed to the National Assembly Education Committee that efforts to onboard teachers en masse into SHA had failed. SHA reportedly declined to enroll over 360,000 teachers citing insufficient nationwide infrastructure to support such a large group and demanding Ksh 37 billion, a figure TSC considered too high compared to the Ksh 20 billion allocated for the current scheme.
This stalemate has caused frustration among teachers and education stakeholders, who continue to suffer from limited access to medical services despite the costly private insurance contract with Minet.
SHA’s Position and Call for Change
The Social Health Authority has urged TSC to terminate its contract with Minet Kenya and instead enroll teachers under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, which is part of SHA’s broader health insurance framework. SHA emphasizes that while employers like TSC can provide complementary private insurance for additional benefits, the core coverage should be under the public scheme to ensure wider access and efficiency.
SHA currently covers over 21.6 million Kenyans and has partnered with more than 8,000 healthcare facilities nationwide, aiming to improve service accessibility. The Authority argues that enrolling teachers into this system would not only enhance healthcare access but also reduce costs for TSC.
Government Clarifications and Future Prospects
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed that all teachers and their dependents are eligible for medical care under SHA’s three main funds and that TSC can still offer complementary insurance for extra benefits through private underwriters. He clarified that SHA does not manage TSC’s private medical cover, which remains under the Minet contract.
Meanwhile, TSC is reportedly seeking additional funding to facilitate the enrollment of all teachers into the government scheme, aiming to resolve the current impasse and improve healthcare delivery for educators. The Commission has also invited tenders for medical insurance cover for its commissioners and secretariat staff for the 2024/2025 period, signaling ongoing efforts to secure comprehensive health benefits for its workforce.
External Coverage
For more information on this issue, you can read Standard Media’s coverage of the TSC-SHA clash over teachers’ health cover and the limited access to services.
Conclusion
The medical insurance landscape for Kenyan teachers in 2025 is at a crossroads. While teachers are entitled to government-backed health coverage under SHA, infrastructural limitations and cost concerns have delayed full enrollment of over 360,000 teachers into the scheme. The Teachers Service Commission is pushing for additional funding to integrate teachers into the public health insurance system, which promises broader access and potentially better service delivery. Meanwhile, SHA encourages TSC to drop costly private insurance arrangements in favor of public schemes that cover millions of Kenyans nationwide.
Resolving these challenges is critical to ensuring that Kenya’s educators receive timely, affordable, and quality medical care, reflecting their vital role in the country’s development.
Summary
- Over 360,000 Kenyan teachers await enrollment into the government’s medical insurance scheme under SHA.
- Teachers currently have private cover via Minet Kenya, funded by their medical allowances and statutory deductions, but face service access challenges.
- SHA declined to enroll teachers citing insufficient infrastructure and high costs (Ksh 37 billion).
- SHA urges TSC to drop Minet and enroll teachers under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund.
- Health CS Aden Duale confirmed teachers’ eligibility under SHA’s three main funds and the possibility of complementary private insurance.
- TSC seeks additional funding and continues tendering for medical insurance for its staff.
- The resolution of this issue is crucial for improved healthcare access for Kenyan teachers.
- This ongoing debate highlights the complexities of providing equitable and efficient health insurance coverage for a large public sector workforce in Kenya.
