Ghana's Legal Education Undergoes Major Overhaul:‘Makola’ Admission System to be abolished
Accra, Ghana – 28 July, 2025 – A major overhaul of Ghana's legal education system is underway, as the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, announces the scrapping of the existing centralized admissions system at the Ghana School of Law, popularly known as "Makola." In its place, a new national bar examination system will be introduced, marking a significant shift in the way lawyers are trained and certified in Ghana.
The new system will allow universities offering LLB programs to provide a one-year practical Bar Practice Programme, enabling students to write a standardized national bar examination upon completion. This move is expected to increase access to legal practice, enabling more qualified LLB holders to become lawyers.
The current system has been criticized for being exclusionary, with thousands of LLB graduates unable to pursue a career in law due to limited intake at the Ghana School of Law. The new model seeks to make the system more inclusive without compromising standards. "We are shifting from exclusion to inclusion. Our aim is to ensure that all qualified LLB holders have a clear and merit-based path to becoming lawyers," Dr. Ayine stated at a news briefing at the presidency.
The reform is expected to increase the number of lawyers in Ghana, addressing the long-standing issue of limited intake at the Ghana School of Law. While the government will not fund professional legal education in private institutions, the change has been welcomed by many as a necessary step towards democratizing legal education in Ghana.
A new legal education bill has been finalized and is expected to be submitted to Cabinet in August. The introduction of the national bar examination system is likely to have a significant impact on the legal profession in Ghana, with many expecting a more diverse and inclusive pool of lawyers in the future.
Source: Lead News Online/Theresah Quao
