Parliament has passed the Legal Education Reform Bill, 2026, in a landmark move aimed at widening access to legal education and transforming the training of lawyers in Ghana.
The legislation, once assented to by the President, will empower accredited university Faculties of Law to provide professional legal training and prepare candidates for a newly introduced National Bar Examination, effectively ending the long-standing monopoly of the Ghana School of Law.
The Bill represents a major shift in the country’s legal education framework, transferring professional legal training from the Ghana School of Law to accredited universities.
It introduces a Law Practice Training Course, which will focus on clinical legal education and practical lawyering skills rather than purely theoretical instruction.
Under the new system, applicants holding a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree or another approved law qualification will be required to apply to an accredited university to undertake the Law Practice Training Course. Upon successful completion, candidates will then be eligible to sit for the National Bar Examination.
The reforms are also designed to separate the regulation of legal education from the regulation of the legal profession, while strengthening the role of the Ghana Bar Association in setting and enforcing standards.
Leading debate on the floor, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga commended members on both sides of the House for their contributions, describing the legislation as a comprehensive framework for reform.
He noted that the passage of the Bill fulfils a key promise made by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) prior to assuming office.
However, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin cautioned that the passage of the Bill represents only one of several outstanding commitments yet to be delivered, citing initiatives such as the proposed Women’s Development Bank and the “One Job, Three Shifts” policy.
The Bill was originally laid before Parliament on October 24, 2025, by the Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Dominic Ayine, who argued that the reforms were necessary to enhance access to legal education and eliminate bottlenecks that have limited entry into the profession.
According to Mr Ayine, the legislation seeks to democratise legal education while maintaining high standards in teaching, learning and professional outcomes.
A key provision of the Bill is the establishment of a National Council for Legal Education, which will be responsible for accrediting university law faculties and supervising the conduct of the National Bar Examination.
Mr Ayariga emphasised that the new framework would create a fair and equitable platform for qualified individuals to enter the legal profession, thereby expanding opportunities for aspiring lawyers across the country.
Members from both the Majority and Minority caucuses broadly welcomed the reforms, acknowledging the need to open up legal education.
However, they also stressed the importance of safeguarding quality and maintaining the integrity of the legal profession.
They warned that while expanding access is necessary, it must not come at the expense of professional standards, urging strict regulatory oversight to ensure that the reforms achieve their intended objectives.
The adoption of the Committee’s report and the subsequent passage of the Bill mark a significant step in reshaping the landscape of legal education in Ghana, signalling Parliament’s commitment to balancing accessibility with excellence in legal training.
