Parliament passes Legal Education reform Bill to decentralize professional legal Education
At the centre of the reform is the creation of a Council for Legal Education and Training, a new body that will supervise legal education, set standards for curricula and oversee the broader training framework for future lawyers.
Ghana’s legal education system is set for a significant overhaul after Parliament passed the Legal Education Bill, 2025, introducing a new structure for professional training and regulation.
At the centre of the reform is the creation of a Council for Legal Education and Training, a new body that will supervise legal education, set standards for curricula and oversee the broader training framework for future lawyers.
One of the most consequential changes in the law is the decision to move professional legal training beyond the Ghana School of Law. Under the new arrangement, accredited universities will be allowed to offer the practical training required for students who want to qualify for the Bar.
That training will take the form of a Law Practice Training Course, which eligible candidates must complete before sitting a new National Bar Examination.
Supporters of the bill say the reform is intended to widen access and address long-standing concerns about fairness and limited entry points into professional legal education.
During debate in Parliament, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga said the legislation delivers on a campaign commitment by the National Democratic Congress to make legal education more accessible and equitable.
He told the House that the party had pledged reforms aimed at improving fairness and opportunity for law students and was now following through on that promise.
The bill, however, also triggered political exchanges in the chamber.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin acknowledged the importance of the reform and noted that members from across the House had contributed to its passage. But he used the occasion to criticise the government for what he described as uneven delivery on other promises made to voters.
While conceding that legal education reform had indeed featured in the NDC’s campaign message, he argued that the government must show the same urgency in implementing other key pledges, including its proposal to establish a Women’s Bank.
The passage of the bill marks a major policy shift in a sector that has long been criticised for bottlenecks and limited capacity. Its implementation will now be closely watched by students, universities and the legal profession alike.
