Ghana’s legal education system is set for a major transformation following Parliament’s passage of the Legal Education Bill, 2025, introducing sweeping changes to how lawyers are trained and admitted to the Bar.
The new law establishes a central regulatory body—the Council for Legal Education and Training—to oversee standards, accreditation, and curriculum development across institutions offering legal training.
One of the most significant reforms shifts professional legal training away from the Ghana School of Law, allowing accredited universities to offer a newly introduced Law Practice Training Course. This programme will serve as the pathway for candidates preparing to sit the National Bar Examination.
Speaking during proceedings, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga described the reform as a fulfilment of a key campaign promise by the ruling party, aimed at improving access and fairness in legal education.
He noted that the changes are intended to address long-standing concerns about limited entry opportunities into professional legal training, thereby opening the system to more qualified students.
However, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin cautioned against viewing the reform in isolation, arguing that while the bill enjoyed bipartisan support, the government must also deliver on other outstanding commitments.
He pointed to unfulfilled pledges, including the proposed establishment of a women’s bank, stressing the need for broader accountability in governance.
The passage of the bill marks a significant policy shift, with authorities expected to roll out implementation guidelines to operationalise the new legal training framework across accredited institutions.
