TSC extends teachers' medical cover for three months

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has extended for three months a Sh5.6 billion medical cover for more than 233,000 teachers across the country.

The extension is a relief to teachers as the one year contracted was to end on June 30^th.

“We got the extension confirmation on Thursday afternoon and the cover is now formally extended for three months,” said AON chief operations officer Sammy Muthui.

TSC head of Communication Kihumba Kamotho confirmed the extension.

“Teachers will continue to get all the benefits as the commission arranges for a new medical cover,” said Mr Kamotho.

Last year in July, the insurance company won a tender to provide medical cover to more than 288,000 teachers.

However, its only 233,000 teachers who registered for the scheme raising concerns over the whereabouts of 55,000 teachers who are also supposed to benefit from the medical cover.

TSC is now expected to advertise for a new tender before end of the three months’ extension.

All teachers lost their medical allowance last year and which was ranging from Sh767 to Sh4, 412 per month depending on job groups, with the money going to finance the scheme.

Under the scheme, every teacher has a maximum of four beneficiaries who are entitled to an inpatient, outpatient, maternity and dental cover under the comprehensive medical cover.

About 423,457 dependents from the teachers have registered, bringing total beneficiaries to 657,367.

The highest paid teacher gets a package of Sh1 million for inpatient with the lowest paid teacher benefiting from Sh300,000 annual coverage.

The teachers also enjoy optical dental, maternity, group cover for funeral expense among other services.

(Editing by Joel Muinde)