The Ghana School of Law’s 66-year monopoly on professional legal training in the nation has come to an end with President John Dramani Mahama’s signing of the Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025 into law.
By enabling approved colleges and institutes to offer professional law courses, a duty that had been solely reserved for the Ghana School of Law for decades, the historic legislation is anticipated to increase access to professional legal education.
Ghana’s professional legal education system has long been criticised for being too restricted, especially when it comes to the admissions process at the Ghana School of Law.
Due to space constraints and the very competitive admission exam system, thousands of eligible LLB graduates nationwide were frequently unable to continue their legal education.
The president said, “The law is to regulate legal education and ensure the highest standards in terms of legal education, but also to open up the space for more opportunity for legal education in Ghana,” following the assent on Monday, May 11.
“This particular act has been one that many aspiring lawyers have been looking up to.”
The Ghana School of Law continued to be the only institution required to offer the Professional Law Course necessary for students to become qualified solicitors and be admitted to the Ghanaian Bar under the previous system.
The institution’s monopoly, which has existed for more than 60 years, has frequently been the focus of national discussion.
Students, civil society organisations, and legal professionals have called for changes to make legal education more widely available.
Thus, the Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025’s enactment and signing are seen as a significant step toward resolving those persistent issues.
Now that the new law is in effect, professional legal education programs can be offered by accredited universities that satisfy the necessary requirements and obtain approval from the appropriate regulatory organisations.
Source: newsthemegh.com