Teachers to Join SHA Scheme as TSC Overrides Legal Challenge
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to move all teachers from the Minet insurance scheme to the Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover, even as a legal battle over the transition unfolds in court. The migration is scheduled to take effect on 1 December 2025, marking a major shift in how more than 400,000 teachers and their dependents will access medical services.
According to TSC, preparations for onboarding teachers into the SHA system are at an advanced stage, with the commission establishing a joint technical team with SHA and reorganising its internal medical services division to facilitate the rollout. The new cover is expected to provide inpatient and outpatient services, dental and optical care, chronic illness management, maternity services, ambulance services and overseas treatment—bringing teachers under the same framework used by other public servants.
However, the move has triggered resistance from a section of teachers who argue that the transition is abrupt and unconstitutional. Two teachers have filed a petition at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Kisumu seeking to stop the migration, claiming the decision was made without adequate consultation and could disrupt ongoing treatment for teachers suffering from serious conditions such as cancer and kidney disease. They further argue that shifting teachers from a private insurance contract to a statutory public fund violates procurement laws and labour regulations.
The court has declined to issue interim orders halting the migration, allowing TSC to proceed with its planned rollout. The case is set for further hearing in December, even as unions that previously questioned the transition have shown signs of softening their stance following talks with the commission.
Despite the legal dispute, TSC maintains that the shift to SHA will deliver a more comprehensive medical package for teachers. For now, however, uncertainty remains for many educators who fear the transition could affect continuity of care and alter existing benefits under the Minet arrangement.
