Dodoma — TEACHERS' monthly contributions accounts through the Tanzania Teachers' Union (TTU) amounting to 2.2bn/- are not audited by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) but a special group of appointed auditors has been assigned to assess the inventories and submit the report to the CAG, the government has said.

Speaking at the National Assembly in Dodoma , the Deputy Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Philipo Mulugo, said the contributions had nothing to do with terminal benefits.

He said according to the Education Act Number 6 of 2004 that sanctioned the establishment of the Tanzania Teachers' Union, the funds were meant for defending interests and demands of the members, and not to be considered as part of the savings. Responding to a question by Faride Bakari Jabu, (MP - Kyembesamaki -CCM), who wanted to know the number of teachers under the union and their monthly contributions, Mulugo said there are 226,176 members.

"These are teachers at different levels ranging from elementary, primary and secondary schools, teachers' colleges, vocational training and inspectorate directorate among others. However, not all of these contribute two per cent of their monthly income to the union," he explained.

He said according to facts from the Ministry of Finance active members making their contributions to the union are 185,102 but the number of members varied for various reasons such as death, retirement, abscond or being fired. Another legislator, Rita Kabati - (CCM Special Seat) asked why even a newly hired school teacher had two per cent of the monthly salary deducted as contribution to the union without one's consent.

The deputy minister said that according to the union regulations, since more than 50 per cent of the workforce in the sector (education) were members, the membership for new comers become automatic. The House was told that teachers in different regions and districts had launched series of complaints against the compulsory deductions which is never returned to them.