KABUCHAI, Kenya — Teachers have threatened a nationwide strike beginning at the end of April if the government fails to resolve critical failures in their medical cover and address persistent teacher shortages, Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) officials announced Friday.
The ultimatum, issued during a gathering in Kabuchai Constituency, Bungoma County, on April 3, targets the Social Health Authority (SHA) medical scheme implemented on December 1, 2025, which union leaders say has collapsed into an access crisis.
Healthcare Access Collapse
KUPPET Bungoma representative Ferdinand Wamalwa warned that limited hospital coverage under SHA has made healthcare virtually inaccessible for teachers in the county.
“Here in Bungoma, we only have three hospitals in the entire county that are treating our teachers,” Wamalwa said. “We have said next term, if this thing of SHA is not worked on, we are going to call for a very serious strike.”
The union directed students to remain home if industrial action proceeds: “We will direct students to stay home as we embark on a total shutdown. We are giving the government this holiday to address the issue.”
Recruitment Failures
KUPPET also accused the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of failing to recruit adequate staff, citing increased workload and pressure on existing teachers—a complaint that compounds the healthcare grievances.
The SHA transition followed a November 2025 consultative meeting involving TSC, KUPPET, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), and SHA officials.
The scheme promised comprehensive coverage: outpatient and inpatient care, dental and optical services, annual checkups, ambulance services, overseas treatment, group life benefits, and coverage for spouses and up to six dependents.
Implementation Breakdown
Teachers now report the opposite—limited hospital access and treatment difficulties across facilities. The December implementation appears to have suffered from inadequate provider network establishment, particularly in rural counties.
The strike deadline creates immediate pressure on the government to prevent learning disruption when schools reopen.
With the holiday period offering limited time for resolution, the dispute tests the efficacy of social health insurance reform in a critical public sector employment context.
