The agreement to move more than 400,000 teachers from their long‑standing private medical cover under MINET/AON to the government‑run Social Health Authority (SHA) has stalled amid deepening disagreements between educators, unions, and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), raising legal, practical and procedural concerns that have left many teachers unsure of their healthcare future.
The initiative to transition teachers to SHA was conceived as part of Kenya’s broader Universal Health Care (UHC) reforms aimed at consolidating public sector workers into a unified healthcare financing system managed by the SHA, which replaced the old National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
Teachers previously enjoyed a comprehensive private medical insurance through Minet, which included benefits like overseas referrals, evacuation, and higher limits. In late 2025, the government pushed for a shift to SHA (the state-run scheme succeeding NHIF) as part of broader public health reforms.
Unions like KUPPET and KNUT initially resisted, citing concerns over reduced benefits, system reliability, mandatory deductions (e.g., 2.75% contributions potentially leading to double payments), and lack of consultation. Some teachers filed legal challenges in court to halt the migration, arguing it altered terms of service illegally and that SHA couldn't match Minet's guarantees.
Despite protests, a deal was struck in November 2025 between TSC, unions (including KUPPET, KNUT, and others), and SHA for the transition to proceed from December 1, 2025. It was framed as a "test drive" or pilot with a planned review after a few months.