We must end Ghana School of Law’s monopoly to advance legal education — Prof Kwaku Azar

Ghanaian legal scholar, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, affectionately known as Kwaku Azar, has called for the immediate end of the Ghana School of Law’s monopoly on legal education in the country.

According to Prof Kwaku Azar, the current system is hindering the progress of Ghana’s legal profession and preventing critical legal reforms.

In a social media post on Sunday, April 27, the renowned academic argued that the monopoly, which forces all law graduates to go through a single institution, is both outdated and unsustainable.

He stressed that accredited universities, equipped with modern facilities such as moot courts, clinics, and interdisciplinary programs, are being sidelined despite their readiness to train future legal professionals.

“We cannot afford another wasted year. We must end the outdated monopoly of the Ghana School of Law now,” the legal expert wrote.

He explained that the Ghana School of Law’s limited capacity is contributing to a shortage of lawyers, especially in critical areas like district courts and the prosecution of national initiatives such as the Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) anti-corruption initiative.

He pointed to Kenya’s recent reform of its legal education system, where the courts struck down the Kenya School of Law’s monopoly and declared it unconstitutional.

This ruling opened the door for universities to train advocates, and Professor Asare believes Ghana should follow suit.

Professor Asare proposed that the Ghana Legal Council allow students to complete their professional training at accredited universities while introducing a national Bar Examination twice a year.

This examination, Prof Kwaku Azar said, should assess core competencies in common law, legal research, and real-world practice skills.

“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,” he stated.