Egypt's House of Representatives will convene on Thursday for the opening of its second legislative session. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly is scheduled to address lawmakers on President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's objection to one provision of a bill establishing Kayan University for Applied Sciences under the Armed Forces. The president's objection concerns Article 25 of the bill.
The disputed article provides for a monthly allowance for students enrolled in the university's military division equivalent to the starting salary of a second lieutenant. The allowance would be paid from the date on which graduates of the same cohort are granted the rank of second lieutenant after graduating from the Egyptian Military Academy. The article also provides for annual rewards for outstanding university students.
Kayan University is a newly established institution affiliated with the Armed Forces. It is designed to provide higher education in applied sciences to both military and civilian students. The university includes programmes and colleges in fields such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, engineering, and artificial intelligence and computing.
Parliament approved the law establishing the university in July. The Armed Forces announced that the university would begin admitting its first civilian students for the 2026/27 academic year. Admission is subject to comprehensive testing. The university is part of efforts to develop specialised higher education programmes while combining civilian academic education with military education and training.
The House of Representatives will also hold three sessions on Sunday to finalise the formation of its specialised committees and elect the committees' bureau members. The sessions will announce proposed membership lists, allow MPs to submit written suggestions and objections, and announce the results of elections for the bureaux of the specialised committees.
Parliament will conclude its scheduled sessions on Monday with discussions of any other matters on its agenda. The parliamentary proceedings on Thursday will determine how the chamber handles the disputed provision in the Kayan University bill. The president's written objection and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly's statement will be heard by parliament.
The House of Representatives' agenda also includes discussions on other matters. Egypt's parliament recently approved a one-year delay to the Criminal Procedure Law after a heated committee debate. The government is seeking a delay to the new law due to incomplete preparations.
Key points
- President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has objected to a provision in the Kayan University bill.
- The disputed provision provides for a monthly allowance for students enrolled in the university's military division.
- Parliament will discuss the president's objection and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly's statement on Thursday.
