Teachers Demand Answers After Higher PAYE Deductions Appear in June Payslips
Thousands of teachers across Kenya are demanding answers from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) after discovering unexpected increases in Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deductions in their June payslips, raising fresh concerns over their financial welfare amid the country’s rising cost of living.
The deductions, though relatively modest on an individual level, have sparked widespread frustration among educators who claim the changes were implemented without any prior communication from their employer.
A review of June payslips indicates that many teachers recorded an increase of approximately Ksh108 in income tax deductions compared to previous months. The unexplained reduction in take-home pay has triggered questions over whether new payroll adjustments or tax-related changes have quietly been introduced.
According to union officials, the implications could be significant if the deduction has been applied uniformly across the more than 300,000 teachers employed by TSC. Estimates suggest the additional PAYE deductions could collectively amount to roughly Ksh32.4 million in a single month.
A spot check revealed that one teacher who ordinarily took home Ksh10,442 after deductions received Ksh10,334 in June, reflecting an extra deduction of Ksh108.
The development has left many educators seeking clarification from the commission.
“We deserve to know why our salaries have been reduced, even if by a small amount. Any deduction affects our budgeting,” one teacher said.
Another teacher expressed concern that the increase comes at a time when many households are already struggling with rising expenses.
“Adding more tax on our payslips will cripple us more financially. The cost of food, rent, transport and other essentials continues to rise, yet our salaries are not keeping pace,” the teacher lamented.
The controversy comes at a critical moment for the education sector. Only days ago, TSC and teachers’ unions signed the 2026 Career Progression Guidelines, a framework designed to streamline promotions and address long-standing complaints over stagnation in job grades.
Many teachers had welcomed the new guidelines, viewing them as a positive step toward improving career growth opportunities within the profession.
At the same time, educators are eagerly awaiting the implementation of Phase Two of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which promises salary enhancements and improved benefits aimed at boosting teachers’ welfare.
However, the unexplained tax deductions have overshadowed some of that optimism, with teachers insisting that transparency is necessary whenever changes affecting their earnings are made.
Union representatives have urged TSC to provide a detailed explanation regarding the deductions and clarify whether they are linked to recent tax adjustments, payroll recalculations, or other administrative changes.
As concerns continue to grow across the teaching fraternity, the Teachers Service Commission had not issued an official statement on the matter by the time of publication.
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