President Yoweri Museveni has returned two legislative bills to Parliament for further review: the National Commission for UNESCO (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Higher Education Students Financing (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

In a letter presented by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa during the parliamentary session on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, Museveni raised concerns about the National Commission for UNESCO Bill. He noted that the bill proposes establishing a department within the Ministry of Education, instead of a unit, which he argued is inconsistent with standard public service practices. Typically, a ministry consists of a formal structure approved administratively by the Cabinet.

Museveni pointed out that Section 4 of the amendment bill designates the National Commission for UNESCO as a department within the Ministry of Education, without granting it corporate status. He cautioned that this could lead to confusion, as the bill refers to a “commission” but does not grant it the legal standing usually associated with such bodies. He recommended reconciling these terms to ensure clarity and avoid potential legal ambiguities.

Regarding the Higher Education Students Financing (Amendment) Act, 2024, Museveni suggested reconsidering the bill’s title. He noted that the title differed from the one stated under Section 5 of the Higher Education Standards (Amendment) Act, which could lead to inconsistencies.

In response, Tayebwa referred both bills to the Committee on Education and Sports for further examination and revision, in line with the President’s recommendations.