Ruto calls for review of teachers’ medical scheme to improve value and access
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 14 – President William Ruto has expressed concern over the teachers’ medical scheme, suggesting it falls short of market standards and requires urgent review to ensure teachers receive better healthcare services and value for money.
Speaking at State House Nairobi, where he hosted 10,000 teachers drawn from major unions and associations, the President noted that the current scheme is both costly and inadequate in meeting teachers’ health needs.
“Access to inpatient services by teachers is lower than the market. Data on your medical scheme shows that, on average, it costs Ksh.117,000 per inpatient visit, whereas the market average is Ksh.100,000 and for civil servants it is Ksh.98,000. That means you pay more on every visit, so we cannot continue with this medical cover as it is,” President Ruto observed.
To address the situation, he directed that the Ministry of Education work with health professionals to compare the teachers’ package with that of civil servants and explore other market alternatives.
He emphasized that consultations with teachers’ representatives had already begun and called on them to support the reform process.
“We have engaged with your leaders and they say we are going to consult members. Now that you are here, can we review? Yes,” he said, underscoring the importance of aligning the scheme with teachers’ welfare needs.
The President reiterated that teachers, who dedicate their lives to nurturing the nation’s future, deserve a medical cover that delivers improved services and better value for money.
Beyond healthcare, the meeting also marked a significant milestone in addressing teachers’ welfare.
President Ruto witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Affordable Housing Board and teachers’ unions, securing 20 percent of all Affordable Housing units for teachers.
“As members contributing to the housing levy, teachers contribute 13 per cent, which is Ksh.900 million every month. We have agreed that 20 per cent of the housing units will be allocated to teachers. An MoU has been signed between our teachers and the ministry so that this is implemented,” he announced.
The Head of State said this allocation would not only provide decent homes for teachers but also ensure their contributions to the levy translate into tangible benefits.
The President also highlighted the government’s increased investment in the education sector.
In the past three years, the education budget has risen from Ksh.540 billion to Ksh.702 billion, the largest in Kenya’s history.
This funding has supported reforms in the Competency-Based Education (CBE), the hiring of 76,000 new teachers, and the expansion of infrastructure, including 23,000 classrooms and the establishment of the Open University of Kenya.
Looking ahead, President Ruto reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to hiring an additional 100,000 teachers by January to strengthen the teacher-student ratio.
He further announced plans to double the budget for teacher promotions, enabling 50,000 teachers to advance annually beginning the next financial year.
Currently, the government spends Sh1 billion annually on promotions, benefiting 25,000 teachers.
The President said this allocation would be doubled to Sh2 billion to address stagnation in job groups, pointing out that more than 400,000 teachers are eligible for promotion.
He urged education stakeholders to review the career progression guidelines to ensure fairness and inclusivity.
The State House meeting brought together delegates from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (KUSNET), Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA), and Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA), setting the stage for deeper collaboration between the government and the teaching fraternity.
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