Teachers’ access to medical care could be severely affected as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) flagged a Sh1.4 billion shortfall in the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), warning MPs that delays in financing may disrupt service delivery nationwide.
TSC Acting CEO Evelyn Mitei appeared before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Education, chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, explaining that the shortfall arose after transitioning from the Minet medical scheme to the Social Health Authority (SHA), leaving the Commission unable to fully settle outstanding medical bills for educators.
“As at December 31, 2025, the outstanding bill for teachers’ medical cover under the previous Minet scheme stands at Sh7.448 billion,” Mitei told lawmakers on Tuesday.
She added that even current payments under SHA remain insufficient.
“For the current seven-month period under SHA, we require Sh8.9 billion, but we have only been able to access Sh7 billion under Article 223, with a supplementary allocation of Sh7.5 billion. This leaves a funding gap of Sh1.4 billion.”
The warning came as MPs examined TSC’s Supplementary Estimates I for the 2025/26 financial year, which were revised upward by Sh21.18 billion to Sh407.69 billion from the initial Sh386.51 billion.
Of the additional funds, Sh12.86 billion is earmarked for salaries, while Sh7.5 billion is allocated to cover medical expenses under SHA. Other allocations include Sh480 million for teacher interns’ stipend deficits, Sh235 million for medical cover for secretariat staff, and Sh106 million for field operations support.
Committee members expressed concern over the sustainability of the medical scheme, cautioning that underfunding could slow down reimbursements to hospitals and disrupt care for teachers.
TSC confirmed that the first withdrawal under Article 223 was made on March 5, 2026, to pay the Social Health Authority.
Beyond healthcare, the revised budget will affect staffing and training initiatives. TSC has increased intern teacher recruitment from 20,000 to 24,000 to fill gaps in junior secondary schools. Field officers will receive expanded training in discipline management, while additional staff will benefit from capacity-building programs across the Commission.
Lawmakers also pressed the Commission to address persistent challenges, including delayed pensions, understaffed field offices, and unfair teacher transfer practices, emphasizing that resolving these issues is critical for overall service delivery.