The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has threatened to call a nationwide strike in January, warning that schools may fail to reopen if the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) proceeds with plans to migrate teachers to the Social Health Authority (SHA).
KNUT officials, led by Makueni County Secretary-General Benson Ndambuki, accused the TSC of discrimination, arguing that teachers were being unfairly removed from their private health insurance scheme while other civil servants continue to enjoy theirs.
“This move is unfair and amounts to discrimination. We cannot be forced into an untested health system whose efficiency is yet to be proven,” said Ndambuki, adding that the TSC had not engaged the unions adequately on the matter.
The union insists that the current private medical cover provides better access and benefits compared to the public insurance option.
The TSC has, however, invited KNUT, KUPPET, and KUSNET officials to a consultative meeting in Nairobi to address the standoff and other issues ahead of the January reopening.
The dispute comes just months after President William Ruto directed the Ministry of Education, SHA, and teacher unions to jointly review the existing medical cover and develop a sustainable model that guarantees quality healthcare for educators.
Meanwhile, in Murang’a County, hundreds of Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers held protests on Friday, demanding confirmation into permanent and pensionable terms before schools reopen. Their internship contracts, signed in January, are set to expire in December 2025.
The teachers said the prolonged uncertainty over their employment has caused distress, warning that continued delays could affect learning at the start of the new term.
 has threatened to call a nationwide strike in January, warning that schools may fail to reopen if the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) proceeds with plans to migrate teachers to the Social Health Authority (SHA).){kind=link}