Key players in Ghana’s legal fraternity have expressed support for the newly enacted Legal Education Act, 2026, particularly its provisions abolishing the Ghana School of Law entrance examination and permitting accredited universities to provide professional legal training.
The stakeholders described the reforms as a significant milestone in the evolution of legal education and the broader justice system, saying the changes have the potential to improve access to legal training and address longstanding concerns about fairness in admissions.
Despite their support, they stressed that increasing access to legal education should not come at the expense of maintaining the high standards and professionalism required within the legal profession.
These views were shared during the 13th Jurists’ Confab organised by the Faculty of Law at the College of Humanities and Legal Studies of the University of Cape Coast. The event brought together judges, lawyers, academics, policymakers, traditional authorities, politicians and students to discuss the theme, “Access versus Standards: The Future of Legal Education in Ghana.”
Speaking at the conference, Justice Kweku T. Ackaah-Boafo described the passage of the Legal Education Act, 2026, as a turning point for legal education in Ghana. He noted that the previous system had often been criticised for restricting access, with many qualified law graduates unable to secure admission into professional legal training despite meeting academic requirements.
According to him, the situation forced many aspiring lawyers to seek legal training abroad, creating financial burdens for individuals and resulting in a loss of opportunities within the country.
Justice Ackaah-Boafo said the new legislation addresses these concerns by allowing accredited universities to offer professional legal training, effectively ending the long-standing monopoly of the Ghana School of Law.
He argued that access and quality should not be treated as opposing goals, emphasizing that Ghana must strive to widen opportunities while preserving excellence within the legal profession.
To ensure the success of the reforms, he called for greater investment in legal education, including improved infrastructure, faculty development and adequate resources for law faculties. He stressed that the quality of legal practitioners ultimately depends on the strength of their foundational legal education.
The Supreme Court Justice also highlighted the importance of an independent and effective regulatory body to oversee the implementation of the reforms and maintain professional standards across institutions offering legal training.
Meanwhile, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor defended the reforms against concerns that they could lower the quality of legal education. He explained that the Act was intended to remove unnecessary barriers while introducing mechanisms to safeguard standards.
According to him, the law establishes a regulatory council for legal education, introduces standardised admission requirements and accreditation processes, and provides for a National Bar Examination to assess the competence of prospective lawyers.
Mr. Dafeamekpor added that the reforms could contribute to producing more qualified legal professionals, strengthening public institutions, improving compliance within government agencies and creating additional employment opportunities.
Also speaking at the event, Prof Daniel Agyapong urged universities to align their programmes with the new legal framework by reviewing curricula, teaching approaches and institutional structures.
He advocated stronger collaboration between academia and legal practitioners to make legal training more practical and relevant. He also called for enhanced faculty development, improved remuneration for lecturers and the adoption of innovative teaching methods.
Prof. Agyapong further encouraged legal education institutions to embrace technological advancements and regional integration by incorporating artificial intelligence and other digital tools into their programmes.
Overall, stakeholders agreed that while the Legal Education Act, 2026, represents a major step towards expanding access to legal training, sustained efforts will be required to ensure that the reforms strengthen rather than dilute the quality of Ghana’s legal profession.
Source: myjoyonline.com
