Teachers across the country are up in arms after noticing unexpected increases in their Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deductions in the June payslips. A majority of educators have reported an additional deduction of about Ksh108 in income tax compared to previous months, sparking fresh concerns over their financial well-being as the cost of living continues to bite.
The unexplained deductions have triggered widespread dissatisfaction among teachers, with many questioning why the changes were implemented without any prior communication from their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). One teacher who spoke to Kenyans.co.ke lamented that the extra deduction would only make their financial situation worse. According to a spot check conducted by this publication, a teacher who normally takes home Ksh10,442 after deductions received only Ksh10,334 this month, meaning the Commission cut an extra Ksh108 from their salary.
Union officials have estimated that if this additional deduction is applied across all the more than 300,000 teachers employed by TSC, it could translate to about Ksh32.4 million in extra tax collections in a single month. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Deputy Secretary General Hesbon Otieno questioned the timing of the deductions, noting that teachers had not received any salary increase that would justify a higher tax burden. "If there was a change at the end of July, we would understand because that is when the second phase of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement is expected to take effect. But as it stands now, it is alarming to see an increase in deductions when there is no additional money in teachers' pockets," Otieno said.
Many teachers argue that any additional deductions, regardless of the amount, further strain their household budgets that are already stretched thin by rising prices of food, fuel, housing and other essential commodities. The concerns come at a time when educators say they are already struggling to cope with the high cost of living, which has significantly eroded their purchasing power despite recent salary reviews.
The issue has emerged just days after TSC and teachers' unions signed the 2026 Career Progression Guidelines, a framework intended to streamline and accelerate teacher promotions. The new guidelines were welcomed by many educators who have long complained about stagnation in job grades and delayed promotions. Teachers are also awaiting the full implementation of Phase Two of the 2025/2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which promised salary adjustments and other benefits aimed at improving their welfare.
As questions continue to mount regarding the sudden tax deductions, TSC has yet to issue any formal clarification on the matter. Teachers and union leaders are now demanding an official explanation from the Commission regarding the source of the increased PAYE deductions and whether the changes are linked to recent tax adjustments or payroll processing anomalies.
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