The outdated monopoly of Ghana School of Law must end now - Kwaku Azar

Legal practitioner Kwaku Azar has called for an end to the Ghana School of Law's monopoly on legal education in the country.

He argues that the outdated system must be dismantled, stating, "We cannot afford another wasted year. It is time to put an end to the Ghana School of Law's outdated monopoly."

Azar is urging the relevant authorities to allow students to complete their professional training at accredited universities.

He proposes the introduction of a national Bar Examination, administered twice a year, that would assess essential competencies such as common law, legal research, and real-world legal practice.

He emphasises that students are eager to learn and are willing to pay for their education, while universities are ready and equipped to teach, but lack the opportunity to do so.

"There is demand, and there is supply. So why should we allow a stagnant Ghana Legal Council (GLC) to hinder what we all learned from Yaw Asante’s Economics Without Tears?" he questioned.

Azar also pointed to international examples, including Kenya, where the monopoly of their law school was ruled illegal, as a precedent for change.

Read full statement below:
GOGO Calls for an Immediate End to the Ghana School of Law Monopoly!

We cannot afford another wasted year. We must end the outdated monopoly of the Ghana School of Law now.

1. Legal education reform is urgent:
It is neither sustainable nor fair to force every LLB graduate through a single, non-university institution with limited capacity — while accredited universities, equipped with moot courts, clinics, and interdisciplinary programs, are sidelined.

2. Ghana is facing a lawyer shortage:
District courts lack lawyers. Critical national initiatives like ORAL need prosecutors. We cannot meet the needs of justice with artificial barriers to legal education.

3. Kenya has shown the way:
The courts in Kenya recently struck down the Kenya School of Law’s monopoly. They declared it unconstitutional — and opened the path for universities to train advocates. We must not be left behind.

4. A simple solution exists:
Let students complete professional training at their accredited universities. Administer a national Bar Examination twice a year — testing core common law competencies, legal research, and real-world practice skills.

5. The market is ready:
Students are eager to learn and are ready to pay. Universities are prepared to teach and need the opportunity. There is demand. There is supply. Why should we let a moribund GLC distort what we all learned from Yaw Asante’s Economics Without Tears?

6. The time to act is now!:
We cannot waste another July.
We cannot strand another generation of capable students.

We cannot hold back Ghana’s legal progress any longer.

GOGO says:
End the monopoly NOW!
Expand opportunity NOW!
Reform legal education now!
#EndTheMonopoly#ReformLegalEducation#GhanaNeedsLawyers#GOGOSpeaks

Da Yie!