Gov’t to introduce National Bar Exam to replace Ghana School of Law admission structure
By DL News
Published
1 min read
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, July 28, 2025, Dr. Ayine outlined key provisions in a new legal education bill expected to go before Cabinet in August.
Ghana’s legal education landscape is set for a major overhaul, as Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Dr. Dominic Ayine has announced a bold plan to dismantle the current Ghana School of Law admission structure and replace it with a nationwide bar examination system.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, July 28, 2025, Dr. Ayine outlined key provisions in a new legal education bill expected to go before Cabinet in August.
The proposed reforms aim to decentralize professional legal training and open the door wider for qualified LLB graduates across the country.
Under the new model, students who earn LLB degrees from accredited institutions will complete a one-year Bar Practice Programme at their universities. After that, they will take a standardized national bar exam to qualify as lawyers—similar to the structure used by the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
“This bill will effectively abolish the Ghana School of Law system,” Dr. Ayine declared. “Universities will now be empowered to offer practical legal training in-house, with a national bar exam serving as the final gatekeeper to the profession.”
The move seeks to address long-standing frustrations among law graduates, many of whom have struggled to gain admission to the Ghana School of Law despite holding recognized degrees. Critics have described the current system as restrictive and unfairly exclusive.
He also disclosed that the final draft of the proposed bill had already been submitted to his deputy, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, for review on Sunday, July 27—just ahead of the public announcement.
