Teachers across Kenya will soon benefit from significantly expanded medical cover after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) signed a landmark agreement with the Social Health Authority (SHA) on 10 November 2025 at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi.
Under the new arrangement, teachers and their dependents can access treatment in more than 9,000 hospitals nationwide.
The move formally shifts teacher healthcare from the current provider Minet Kenya Insurance Brokers Limited to the public-service medical scheme framework managed by SHA through the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund (POMSF).
Acting TSC Chief Executive Officer Evelyn Mitei announced that the network will now include 9,016 participating hospitals, spanning public, private and faith-based institutions.
The new model is underpinned by automation and digital verification: instant admissions, claim simplification and real-time verification via biometric and one-time-password (OTP) systems.
The scheme will adopt a fee-for-service payment structure aimed at increasing transparency and prioritising the teacher as the central beneficiary of care.
Other reforms outlined include improved supply of quality original drugs, enhanced management of chronic illnesses, and expanded dental and optical coverage.
While the agreement marks a major step in teacher welfare, union leaders stressed the need for careful implementation.
Representatives from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET) had raised concerns in a meeting with TSC earlier on 10 November about ensuring that no existing benefits are lost, that hospital networks are fully disclosed and timely service assured.
According to TSC and SHA, the migration will take effect from 1 December 2025
The current Minet-based scheme expires on 30 November 2025; the new SHA-managed programme begins 1 December.
Teachers will need to familiarise themselves with the list of empanelled hospitals under SHA’s network.
They should also expect new digital onboarding processes: biometric/OTP verification, instant admissions, real-time claim monitoring.
Unions have said they will monitor the transition closely, with a Joint Technical Committee comprising TSC, SHA and union representatives already established.