A fresh wave of anger is rising within Kenya’s teaching workforce after new medical rules took effect, leaving educators feeling financially exposed and heavily burdened. Teachers say the government has forced them into a confusing system that denies them benefits they previously enjoyed while demanding more money from their already stretched salaries.
Many now argue they are paying twice for healthcare. Their frustrations are deepening and spreading fast, with union leaders, policy analysts, and classroom teachers warning that the changes threaten both their economic rights and their dignity.
The pushback is growing louder, and the country now faces a major labour showdown.
New Medical Scheme for Teachers Under Fire
Teachers under the TSC lost their long-standing medical allowances on December 1, 2025. These allowances were part of their basic salary and helped fund private insurance that offered a wide range of benefits. The TSC removed the allowances and placed all teachers under the Public Officers Medical Scheme Fund, run through the Social Health Authority.
Teachers must now pay service fees at hospitals under the new plan, on top of the statutory SHA deductions already taken from their payslips.
This shift has ignited national outrage because it creates a single medical system but forces teachers to fund two payment streams.
Education workers say the scheme strips away what little protection they had and leaves them exposed at a time when the cost of living continues to climb. Many believe the government ignored proper consultation and violated key constitutional guarantees.
Teachers Cry Foul Over Double Payments
For years, teachers operated under a dual system. Their statutory contributions went to NHIF, now under SHA, while their medical allowances funded a private insurance cover procured by TSC. The system was far from perfect, but it gave teachers two layers of medical protection. The latest transition removes this structure without offering clear benefits or financial relief.
Former PSRA Director-General Fazul Mahamed is among the loudest critics. He argues that teachers are now paying double, with no justification.
He says, “It is incomprehensible that a teacher pays SHA deductions and still pays at the point of service. That is the very definition of double taxation.”
Mahamed believes teacher unions must treat this issue as urgent and defend the welfare of their members.
Teachers agree. They say the new rules remove all privileges they once had while imposing fresh financial burdens. Many insist that if private insurance is gone, the government must reinstate medical allowances.
Constitutional Questions Emerge
Educators are now accusing the TSC of violating constitutional and labour protections.
They say the Commission failed to follow the law on public participation before changing policy, undermined fair administrative action, and disregarded workers’ economic rights.
Several teachers say they were blindsided by the transition. “This is economic sabotage disguised as reform. Teachers are being punished for a system they did not design, did not approve, and were not consulted on,” said a Nairobi-based teacher who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Policy analysts also warn that the new system may not withstand constitutional challenges. They argue that forcing teachers to shoulder extra financial responsibilities without restoring the allowances previously tied to insurance is both unfair and unlawful.
Despite the rising public outcry, TSC has not issued a detailed explanation. The Commission has also not clarified how its decisions align with constitutional requirements or labour guidelines.
Teachers Demand Urgent Intervention
With frustration spreading nationwide, teachers are now pushing for immediate action. They want Parliament, labour unions, and civil society to step in before the situation worsens.
Their main demands include reinstating medical allowances, reviewing the POMSF rollout, or withdrawing the new scheme altogether.
Many say they feel abandoned by the very institutions meant to protect them. They argue the government is shifting the financial burden to workers who already struggle with high living costs.
They warn that the move could weaken morale in classrooms and fuel unrest across the country’s education sector.
For now, teachers say they are unprotected, unheard, and weighed down by a system they believe is unsustainable and punitive.
Their growing revolt signals a deeper national debate over healthcare financing, labour rights, and transparency in public sector reforms.
Unless urgent remedies are introduced, Kenya risks a prolonged conflict involving one of the country’s largest and most vital workforces.
