By Ongaga Ongaga
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has directed special needs education teachers with complaints over union deductions in their payslips to seek redress from the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers.
In a letter addressed to the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), TSC stated that the recruitment and registration of KUSNET members falls squarely under the union’s mandate.
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“The recruitment and registration of KUSNET membership is undertaken by the KUSNET office,” the commission said, adding that affected teachers should “engage the KUSNET office to stop the agency fees and ensure they are properly captured as union members under the T-Pay system.”
The dispute had been escalated to the CAJ—also known as the Office of the Ombudsman—following complaints by a section of special needs teachers over what they termed as irregular or erroneous union deductions from their salaries.
TSC emphasized that any corrections must be initiated by the union itself through its access to the payroll platform.
“This action must be executed by the union on the T-Pay system, as they have been granted the necessary access rights and maintain their own register of members,” the commission noted.
The response suggests that TSC considers the matter administrative and within the operational control of KUSNET, rather than a payroll error originating from the commission.
The issue of union deductions has been a recurring concern among Kenyan teachers, particularly with the growing presence of multiple unions such as KUSNET and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNURLT) alongside the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).
Disputes often arise over agency fees, membership status, and delays in updating payroll systems.
The T-Pay system—used by TSC to manage teacher salaries and deductions—has in the past faced criticism from teachers who claim delays in reflecting changes related to union membership or loan repayments.
The CAJ’s involvement highlights the increasing role of oversight bodies in addressing administrative complaints within public institutions.
Under Kenyan law, the commission investigates maladministration and can recommend corrective action where public agencies fail to resolve grievances.
Teachers affected by the deductions are now expected to formally engage KUSNET to regularize their membership status or halt agency fee deductions.
However, the case could still attract further scrutiny if complainants push for deeper investigations into coordination between TSC and unions in managing payroll deductions.
TSC expressed confidence that its clarification would settle the matter, stating: “We trust that this information resolves the matter.”
The development comes amid broader calls for transparency and efficiency in payroll management within the education sector, as teachers continue to demand greater accountability over statutory and union-related deductions.
