Parliament ends Ghana School of Law monopoly with landmark reform bill
Parliament has passed the Legal Education Bill, 2025, ushering in sweeping reforms to Ghana’s legal education system and dismantling the Ghana School of Law’s decades‑long monopoly over professional training.
The legislation, now awaiting presidential assent, establishes a Council for Legal Education and Training to regulate professional legal studies and standardize curricula nationwide. Under the new framework, accredited universities across the country will be authorized to run the Law Practice Training Course, enabling graduates to sit for a National Bar Examination.
Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga hailed the passage of the Bill as a fulfillment of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s campaign pledge to expand access to legal education. “As has been typical of the NDC, promises made are delivered. We promised law students reforms that ensure equity, fairness, and access to legal education, and today, we have delivered,” he declared on the floor of Parliament.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo‑Markin, while acknowledging the significance of the reform, urged the government to honor other outstanding promises. He cautioned that broader expectations remain unmet, even as the legal education sector celebrates this milestone.
The new law represents a major decentralization of legal training in Ghana, opening opportunities for aspiring lawyers to pursue professional education beyond the traditional confines of the Ghana School of Law. For many students, the reform signals not only expanded access but also a more competitive and diversified system of training.
Observers say the Council’s role will be pivotal in ensuring quality and consistency across institutions, while the National Bar Examination will serve as the ultimate benchmark for entry into the profession.
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