Majority Chief Whip explains delay in scrapping law school entrance exams

The Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has strongly defended Ghana’s proposed legal education reforms, dismissing claims that entrance examinations are being reintroduced for prospective law students.

The South Dayi Member of Parliament was responding to assertions by the Old Tafo MP, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, a member of the Minority, who alleged that the reforms signalled a return to entrance examinations.

In a statement issued on Friday, May 1, 2026, Dafeamekpor described the claims as “misleading” and lacking any legal basis, insisting that the Legal Education Bill has not yet come into force, as it is currently awaiting assent by President John Dramani Mahama.

“Hon Vincent Assafuah is fully aware, or at the very least ought to be aware, that the new Legal Education Bill recently passed by Parliament has not yet matured into operational law. The Bill is currently undergoing the necessary post-passage drafting and correction processes to fully incorporate all amendments adopted by the House before transmission to the President of the Republic, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, for assent,” he stated.

“The new legal education framework passed by Parliament is intended to broaden access to legal education through accredited institutions operating under the new regime,” he added.

“Until that constitutional process is completed and presidential assent is granted, the existing legal framework governing the Ghana School of Law and legal education in Ghana remains valid, binding, and operational. This is basic legislative procedure known to every lawyer and legislator.”

“It is therefore deeply misleading and legally indefensible for Hon. Assafuah to accuse the NDC Government or the Ghana School of Law of ‘reintroducing’ an entrance examination regime that legally remains in force under the current law. One cannot reintroduce what has not yet been repealed,” he said.

He explained that the Bill has not yet taken effect, meaning the existing system, centred on the Ghana School of Law, remains legally in force.

Ghana has long faced criticism over limited access to professional legal training, with the Ghana School of Law struggling to accommodate the growing number of law graduates each year.

Dafeamekpor argued that these structural constraints, rather than what he described as misinformation about entrance examinations, should dominate national discourse.

“The conversation on legal education is far too important to be polluted by political fearmongering,” he said, pointing to persistent challenges including “access, infrastructure, institutional capacity, accreditation, and the long-standing bottleneck within professional legal training.”

He further dismissed suggestions that a new examination regime had been introduced, stressing that no official directive had been issued to prospective students.

“Any suggestion to the contrary is entirely false and unsupported by the present legal and factual position,” he said.

The Majority Chief Whip also reassured prospective students amid growing uncertainty, urging them to rely on verified information as reforms progress through the final stages of the legislative process.

Once implemented, the new framework is expected to significantly reshape legal education in Ghana by enabling multiple accredited institutions to offer professional training, easing pressure on the current system and widening access for aspiring lawyers.

“Quite frankly, I expected a much higher standard of legal reasoning and public commentary from a trained lawyer and Member of Parliament. Matters involving legislation, constitutional procedure, and legal education cannot be approached with the recklessness of roadside propaganda and partisan sensationalism,” he said.

“It is equally disturbing that a lawyer and Member of Parliament would issue such a public statement without first verifying the facts from the Ghana School of Law itself. Public commentary founded on hearsay, speculation, and politically convenient assumptions does not elevate public discourse. It diminishes it.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Government of H.E. John Dramani Mahama has not introduced any new entrance examination regime for prospective law students. Any suggestion to the contrary is entirely false and unsupported by the present legal and factual position,” he added.

“Let the record further reflect that the Ghana School of Law has issued no official public advertisement directing prospective students to sit any entrance examination scheduled for 31 July 2026, contrary to the panic and misinformation being circulated through partisan commentary and social media propaganda.”

“The truth is that the new legal education framework passed by Parliament is intended to broaden access to legal education through accredited institutions operating under the new regime once presidential assent is granted and implementation formally begins. That is the real reform agenda before the country, not this manufactured narrative of betrayal and policy reversal.”

“The conversation on legal education is far too important to be polluted by political fearmongering. Ghana has struggled for years with legitimate concerns regarding access, infrastructure, institutional capacity, accreditation, and the long-standing bottleneck within professional legal training. Those serious national concerns deserve mature engagement and evidence-based reform, not opportunistic propaganda,” he said.

“I therefore urge all well-meaning Ghanaians, particularly prospective law students, to disregard the misinformation and needless panic being generated around this matter. Facts matter. Constitutional procedure matters. And truth matters far more than partisan political theatre.”

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