Members of Parliament from the Departmental Committee on Education have proposed a premium Social Health Authority (SHA) cover for all teachers under the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
During an engagement with the TSC on Thursday, September 4, Baringo North MP Joseph Sakilap made the proposal amid confusion over the current state of medical insurance for teachers.
An existing arrangement between the TSC and a local insurance provider for teachers’ medical cover is set to expire, with the government steering teachers towards SHA medical cover.
However, this has led to a push-and-pull, as teachers argued that the existing cover was extensive, covering the teacher, their spouse, and up to four children.
It offers inpatient, outpatient, maternity, optical, and dental benefits. It also includes group life and last-expense funeral coverage.
Members can access services without a physical medical card, using their payroll number or biometric verification at accredited hospitals in the scheme.
“The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education, led by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, today held a consultative forum with the TSC to deliberate on key issues affecting teachers and the broader education sector in Kenya,” the statement read in part.
“The forum also delved into the question of medical cover, particularly the proposed shift from the existing scheme to the new SHA arrangement. Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap, on his part, proposed the introduction of a premium SHA cover designed specifically to meet teachers’ needs, striking a balance between expanded access and sustained quality,” it added.
Currently, teachers have raised alarm over the impending double taxation due to deductions from both SHA and the existing scheme.
The SHA pay structure provides for a mandatory deduction of 2.75 per cent of one’s gross income or household income. The minimum payment currently stands at Ksh300 per month.
Speaking on the issue of double taxation, Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok revealed that the government would review the double payment, in a move that could spell changes to their payslips.
Bitok announced that the Ministry of Education would liaise with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the teachers’ unions on the fate of the medical scheme.
"It is not right that teachers are paying twice for medical insurance. That is not the government's position. We are engaging relevant stakeholders so that teachers can benefit from a reliable special scheme like civil servants and other specialised cadres," Bitok disclosed on August 12.
