Exclusive: AG gives GLC options to admit 499 law students [READ]

The 499 students, who were denied admission to the Ghana School of Law, can now heave a sigh of relief following a directive from the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, to the General Legal Council (GCL).

The letter intercepted by Ekosii Sen host, Philip Osei Bonsu, indicated that, he has given the Council three options to ensure the students get the opportunity to get legal education.

The AG said fairness required that when the GLC decided to change the pass mark, they should have communicated it.

He added that the failure of the GLC to publish the pass mark in the Daily Graphic notice was a material defect that created doubt about the process.

The AG, acting in pursuant to Section 1(15) of Act 32, directed the GLC to:

A. Grant deferred admission to the 499 candidates with effect from May, 2022.

1. A special provision can be made for the first-year professional law course by candidates already admitted to run from October, 2021 to April, 2022.

The 499 candidates may undertake their programme from May, 2022 and ending in November, 2022 and ending in November, 2022.

Arrangements will have to be put in place for the two sets of candidates to undertake their pupilage and be called to the Bar at a common date in the next two years.

Or.

•  Grant admission to the entire 499 candidates with effects from November, 2021 and provision made for the organization of classes in a way as to be able to cater for the needs of the entire candidates of the Part One Course of Professional Law Programme.

Or

•  Organise a special examination in November, 2021 to accord to the 499 candidates an opportunity to justify admission into the Law School for the 2021/2022 academic year. Such examination may be on essay questions which properly assess the ability of candidates to reason legally and resolve practical problems.

I further advise that in the notice inviting applications to register for the entrance examination for the 2022/2023 academic year, the basis for a determination of successful candidates be clearly spelt out in order to avoid a recur.

Below is Godfred Dame’s letter to the GLC: