Govt Gives Schools New Orders Affecting All Parents.
The government has given parents and guardians 27 days to make sure their school-age children are registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA).
In order to enable compliance before the deadline, the Ministry has urged schools to notify parents about the registration procedure as soon as possible and offer any support that may be required.
Belio Kipsang, the principal secretary for basic education, stated in a circular that the government will proceed with the procedure in spite of the probable disruption the exercise will bring.
Parents and guardians have been advised by the Ministry of Education to make sure their children are enrolled in school by February 28, 2025.
In the communication with county and sub-county directors of education, Kipsang stressed that the registration aligns with the constitutional right to healthcare services.
“The Act provides that every Kenyan, including children, shall register on SHA. In this regard, parents and guardians of school-going children are required to register them on the Social Health Authority,” read the letter in part.
The process launched by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on January 24 will halt learning in public schools to facilitate the exercise. During the launch in Mombasa, learning was stopped for the Community Health Promoters to conduct the exercise.
During the registration process, parents accompanied their children to school for the registration. This is something that will force parents to travel to schools to achieve the government’s plan.
“All parents must ensure they are all registered in the Taifa Care program and that they list their respective children as dependents, paving the way for the easy enlisting of all our learners,” Ogamba urged.
The new push comes as the government continues with its bid to register all Kenyans for the health scheme. To register the learners, the ministries of Education and Health are partnering together.
The registration exercise is part of Taifa Care, which has replaced EduAfya, which was used to cover students under the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
The programme was, however, limited to secondary school students in public institutions. The government says the new scheme will cover all primary and secondary school learners.
Govt Gives Schools New Orders Affecting All Parents.