Teachers can expect a smoother healthcare system as the government moves ahead with plans to shift the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to the Social Health Authority (SHA), with the rollout set for December 1, 2025.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said the transition is advancing steadily and all key preparations are in place.
Koskei’s update followed a strategic meeting with officials from both TSC and the SHA steering committee on Tuesday, where they examined progress reports and reviewed systems to ensure a seamless transfer.
This change is part of a broader government effort to reform health financing, aiming to make healthcare access more efficient, fair, and reliable for public servants.
The Head of Public Service highlighted that joint teams from TSC and SHA have been coordinating closely to harmonise policies, integrate operational systems, and maintain continuous services for teachers during and after the transition.
“We have reviewed the state of preparedness, and I am satisfied that the transition is progressing well,” Koskei said.
“Measures to strengthen institutional coordination have been put in place to guarantee a smooth implementation of the planned transfer.”
The government says the move is intended to simplify access to medical benefits, reduce overlapping administrative processes, and improve overall service delivery for teachers and their families.
Under the plan, all teachers currently enrolled in the Minet medical scheme will automatically move to SHA, following agreements reached with teachers’ unions.
SHA is expected to offer a more comprehensive healthcare package covering over 400,000 teachers and their dependents.
The expanded benefits will include access to additional hospitals, coverage for up to five children instead of four, inpatient and outpatient care, maternity services, dental and optical treatment, radiology, chronic illness management, drug and substance abuse support, overseas medical treatment and evacuation, annual health check-ups, and organ donor tests.
SHA chief executive Mercy Mwangangi said the government will continue to expand the scheme’s benefits over time. Teachers will also be enrolled in the public officers’ medical cover, which will provide additional support once SHA benefits are used up.
This dual coverage ensures that the teacher, their spouse, and up to five children will receive uninterrupted medical services.
The shift also positions SHA as the main manager of teachers’ healthcare benefits, bringing them under a single national framework.
The government expects that the centralised system will deliver standardised and timely medical services to teachers, while easing administrative burdens.
This transition reflects ongoing reforms under Kenya’s health financing framework, which aim to streamline service delivery and widen access to healthcare for teachers and their families, ensuring long-term sustainability and improved coverage.
