Ghana has opened the door to more Lawyers, but at what cost?

Read Comments Comments (2)

• John 1 month ago

  Everywhere in the world, professional education not academic is not provided by any single institution. What happens is that the awarding professional body is far different from the institution that teaches the courses. In th ...
  read full comment

  Everywhere in the world, professional education not academic is not provided by any single institution. What happens is that the awarding professional body is far different from the institution that teaches the courses. In this case the will be an awarding body that sets the standard to attain to qualify. For this all education providers, will just provide the education and training required by the awarding body to qualify. A candidates who has gone through the training and education is required to sit and pass the exams set by the awarding body.
  If that candidate passes the exams, he/ she qualifies otherwise will have to resits or forget of becoming that professional.
  With this nobody is disallowed from getting the training and education. However, getting the education and training alone will not be enough to become that professional unti the candidate passes the exams.
  With this favouritism associate with admission into the training and education is eliminated completely.
  Anybody can then sit and pass the exams if he has the required knowledge and skills.
  Issues of quality is eliminated through the rigrousness of the exams.
  Can we say that chartered accountants in Ghana are inferior because they didn't pass through a particular school?
  Quality issues are strictly addressed at the examination face.
  The bill passed should rather improve quality and should be as such. God bless Ghana's Parliament for passing it.

  reply
• Osei Kwaku 1 month ago

  Thank you, John, for this insightful contribution.
  
  I agree with your point that separating training institutions from an independent awarding body can help broaden access and reduce bottlenecks. Your example of professiona ...
  read full comment

  Thank you, John, for this insightful contribution.
  
  I agree with your point that separating training institutions from an independent awarding body can help broaden access and reduce bottlenecks. Your example of professional models like accountancy is a useful one.
  
  However, my concern—and what I attempted to highlight in the article—is that access alone does not automatically guarantee quality or fairness in outcomes. While rigorous examinations are essential, the quality of training, institutional capacity, and consistency across providers also play a significant role in shaping competence.
  
  If these are not carefully regulated, we may risk creating disparities in preparation, even if the final exam is standardized.
  
  So perhaps the real question is not whether the reform is good or bad, but how well it will be implemented and regulated to balance both access and quality.
  
  I appreciate you adding this perspective to the conversation.

  reply