TSC Directs Special Needs Teachers to Union on Pay Deductions

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has instructed special needs education teachers experiencing issues with union deductions in their payslips to address their concerns with the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers.
In correspondence to the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), TSC indicated that the recruitment and registration of KUSNET members falls entirely within the union’s responsibilities.
“The recruitment and registration of KUSNET membership is handled by the KUSNET office,” the commission stated, noting that affected teachers should “contact the KUSNET office to cease the agency fees and confirm they are correctly recorded as union members in the T-Pay system.”
The disagreement was brought to the CAJalso referred to as the Office of the Ombudsmanafter special needs teachers reported what they described as improper or incorrect union deductions from their pay.
TSC clarified that any modifications must be initiated by the union itself using its access to the payroll platform.
“This adjustment must be performed by the union within the T-Pay system, as they possess the required access privileges and maintain their own membership records,” the commission observed.
The response indicates that TSC views the matter as administrative and under KUSNET’s operational control, not as a payroll error originating from the commission.
The matter of union deductions has been an ongoing issue among Kenyan teachers, especially with the emergence of multiple unions including KUSNET, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNURLT), and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).
Conflicts frequently occur regarding agency fees, membership status, and delays in updating payroll systems.
The T-Pay system, which TSC utilizes to manage teacher salaries and deductions, has previously drawn criticism from teachers who claim delays in showing updates related to union membership or loan repayments.
The CAJ’s involvement underscores the expanding role of oversight bodies in handling administrative complaints within public institutions.
According to Kenyan law, the commission investigates maladministration and can suggest corrective measures when public institutions fail to resolve grievances.
Teachers impacted by the deductions are now required to formally engage with KUSNET to update their membership status or discontinue agency fee deductions.
Nevertheless, the matter may still face additional examination if complainants request deeper investigations into the coordination between TSC and unions in managing payroll deductions.
TSC expressed assurance that its explanation would resolve the situation, stating: “We believe that this clarification settles the matter.”
This development occurs at a time when there are growing demands for transparency and efficiency in payroll administration within the education sector, as teachers continue to seek greater accountability for statutory and union-related deductions.