Officials from the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) raised the alarm during a meeting in Kabuchai Constituency in Bungoma County on Friday, April 3, saying the current situation has become unbearable for many teachers across the country.
Union representatives criticised the implementation of the new medical scheme under the Social Health Authority (SHA), arguing that access to healthcare services remains limited despite the program being introduced to improve medical coverage for teachers.
According to KUPPET officials, only a handful of hospitals are currently providing services to teachers in Bungoma County, making it difficult for many to access medical care when needed.
Bungoma KUPPET representative Ferdinand Wamalwa warned that teachers are prepared to take industrial action if the issues are not addressed before schools reopen for the next academic term.
“Here in Bungoma, we only have three hospitals in the entire county that are treating our teachers. We have said next term, if this thing of SHA is not worked on, we are going to call for a very serious strike,” Wamalwa said.
He added that teachers would not hesitate to halt learning if the government fails to resolve the matter during the current school holiday.
“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,” he added.
Teachers were officially transitioned to the SHA medical scheme on December 1, 2025, following consultations held in November involving the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), KUPPET, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), and SHA officials.
The scheme was designed to provide comprehensive medical coverage for teachers and their families. Benefits were expected to include outpatient and inpatient services, dental and optical care, annual health check-ups, ambulance services, overseas treatment, group life benefits, and coverage for spouses and up to six dependants.
However, teachers say the rollout has been ineffective, citing difficulties accessing treatment and the limited number of hospitals offering services under the scheme.
KUPPET officials also accused the Teachers Service Commission of failing to recruit enough teachers to address the growing shortage in schools, saying the deficit has increased workload and pressure on the existing workforce.
The union argues that overcrowded classrooms and understaffing are affecting both the quality of education and the well-being of teachers.
With the deadline set for the start of the next school term, pressure is now mounting on the government and the Ministry of Education, led by Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, to resolve the dispute and avert a nationwide disruption to learning.
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