The Elimu Bora Working Group has called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to publish a comprehensive audit of all third-party deductions made from teachers’ salaries over the past five years, amid concerns over alleged mismanagement of funds by a teachers’ association.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Elimu Bora Working Group (EBWG) said the demand follows allegations contained in an investigative report that deductions made from female teachers by the entity may have been misappropriated.

The group said the scale and persistence of the deductions point to possible systemic lapses that should be addressed through a transparent audit process.

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“Immediately halt all unlawful deductions and publish a comprehensive audit of all third-party deductions made from teachers’ salaries over the past five years,” the statement reads in part.

Beyond the audit, the group has petitioned the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to conduct independent investigations.

The civil society coalition said that while the claims remain allegations, they require urgent and independent scrutiny by investigative agencies to determine whether the deductions qualify as legitimate trade union dues.

The group has also called on the Departmental Committees on Education and Labour of the National Assembly to initiate a public inquiry into what it describes as the emergence of irregular entities within the education sector.

It said fragmentation of union membership and influence may have created space for parallel structures through which teachers’ salaries could be accessed with minimal scrutiny.

The group questioned the legal basis under which some entities facilitate deductions, arguing that section 19(f) of the Employment Act strictly limits the circumstances under which an employer may deduct an employee’s wages, including a collective bargaining agreement, a court order, or an arbitration award.

"Under Kenyan law, the authority to deduct from teachers’ salaries rests solely with the TSC, acting within a clear legal and administrative framework, including approvals from the Ministry of Education," the group said.

It further raised concerns that many affected teachers may not have consented to the deductions, potentially placing the practice at odds with provisions of the Employment Act and the Labour Relations Act, which regulate payroll deductions and union dues.

"Teachers across the country have, for years, raised concerns about unexplained and irregular deductions from their payslips," the group said.

The group warned that any unchecked payroll discrepancies could erode trust in public institutions and undermine labour rights in the teaching profession.

The TSC is yet to issue an official statement addressing the allegations contained in the exposé.