Parliament has passed the Legal Education Bill, 2025, paving the way for sweeping reforms to Ghana’s legal training system and reshaping how future lawyers are prepared for the Bar.
At the heart of the legislation is the creation of a Council for Legal Education and Training, a new regulatory body mandated to oversee legal education and ensure uniform curriculum standards across institutions.
The Bill also ends the long-standing monopoly of the Ghana School of Law by opening professional legal training to accredited universities. Under the new framework, approved universities will run a Law Practice Training Course designed to prepare candidates for a national Bar examination.
The reform is widely viewed as an effort to broaden access to legal education and ease the bottlenecks and limited admission slots that have long characterised the current system.
Debate on the Bill, however, revealed deep political divisions in Parliament. Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga defended the legislation as a fulfilment of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s campaign promise to make legal education more accessible and equitable.
He argued that the reforms reflect the government’s commitment to fairness in professional training.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, however, criticised the government, accusing it of selectively fulfilling its promises. While he acknowledged the need for reform in legal education, he urged the administration to give equal attention to other commitments made to Ghanaians.
With the Bill now passed, attention turns to its implementation, as stakeholders closely watch whether the reforms will successfully expand access to legal training without compromising standards.
Here’s what you need to know about the legal education bill
The Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025, seeks to modernise Ghana’s legal education by separating its regulation from legal practice, expanding access, and introducing practical law training at universities.
Objectives of the Bill
The Bill aims to establish the Council for Legal Education and Training (CLET) to regulate professional legal education in Ghana, distinct from the regulation of legal practice, which remains under the General Legal Council. It addresses longstanding challenges under the Legal Profession Act, 1960 (Act 32), which conflated legal education with professional practice and left training largely unregulated. The Bill seeks to increase access to legal education while maintaining high standards in teaching and learning outcomes.
Key provisions
Council for Legal Education and Training (CLET): Composed of distinguished members of the Ghanaian Bar and academia, CLET will license and accredit universities to offer the Law Practice Training Course (LPTC) and oversee compliance with educational standards.
Law Practice Training Course (LPTC): Offered by accredited universities, this course emphasises clinical legal education and practical lawyering skills over purely theoretical instruction. Graduates of approved law degrees must complete the LPTC before sitting for the National Bar Examination.
Accreditation and standards: Universities must meet specific criteria, including adequate resources and infrastructure, to offer the LPTC. The Attorney-General remains responsible for legal education oversight.
Accessibility measures: The Bill includes provisions to enhance access for underrepresented groups, including persons with disabilities, ensuring broader participation in legal education.
Implications
Decentralisation of legal education: Professional legal training moves from the Ghana School of Law to universities, allowing multiple institutions to provide practical legal education.
Separation of regulation: By distinguishing legal education from professional practice, the Bill strengthens the bar association’s role in maintaining educational standards while leaving professional regulation to the General Legal Council.
Standardised qualification: The introduction of the National Bar Examination ensures a uniform assessment for all law graduates seeking admission to practice law in Ghana.
Background context
Historically, legal education in Ghana was governed by the Legal Practitioners Ordinance (CAP 8) and later the Legal Practitioners Act, 1958, which created the General Legal Council and the Board of Legal Education. Over decades, Act 32 integrated legal education with professional regulation but left professional training underdeveloped. The 2025 Bill addresses these gaps by providing a modern, structured framework for legal education.
The Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025 represents a significant step toward modernizing legal education in Ghana, improving access, and ensuring that law graduates acquire practical skills necessary for effective legal practice.
