Randy Abbey, the host of Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana program
Randy Abbey is unhappy about the denial of admission for 499 students
He wants Parliament to act on the matter
The students held a protest on October 20
Randy Abbey, the host of Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana program has flared up over the apparent lack of interest by the public in the matter of some 499 students who have been refused admission by the Ghana School of Law.
Randy Abbey is shocked that despite the issue occurring every year, Ghanaians appear not to be concerned with what he views to be a deliberate attempt by the General Legal Council to restrict legal education to only a few people.
Randy Abbey holds that the conduct of the GLC does not correspond to the country’s ‘freedom and justice’ motto.
“My worry is that the whole country is quiet and looking on. What kind of impunity is that? You can’t have institutions acting with impunity in a country that speaks about justice, law and order. In every examination, the criteria should be known. It should be stated on the question paper,” he said.
Randy Abbey said the quota system practiced by the GLC in admission creates an environment where Ghanaian law students are compelled to seek legal education in neighbouring countries at higher cost.
“It frustrates people from entering the law school here. Some families sell properties to send their kids to Gambia or Nigeria for them to have legal education and they go there and win awards. When they come here we collect $6000 from them again.”
On the same show, Rockson Dafeamekpor, the Member of Parliament for South Dayi and an advocate for legal education reforms made allegations of corruption in the admission of students.
“Last year when 1400 were admitted…, some other persons who didn’t write the exams at all were also admitted (to the law school). The General Legal Council itself discovered this matter and is conducting an enquiry into it quietly.
“So, I wrote as a serving MP about the oversight. As an MP and a law-abiding citizen of this country, they have refused to answer my letter. I’m told that somebody remarked that they won’t answer that letter and that the rights of persons have crystalized under the documents I’m asking for. I’ve sent them a reminder and I want to tell the council that this matter borders on corruption, that even if it takes 10 years, we shall investigate this matter.”
Background
The 2021 Law School entrance exams had only 790 candidates representing 28% out of the total 2,824 candidates passing the exam according to results released by the GLC.
However, some aggrieved candidates have since been agitating about the results with some accusing the GLC of changing the quota system for the exam.
According to the candidates, the pass mark for the exam had always been a 50% mark in both sections however the registrar at the Ghana School of Law in a statement stated that the candidates have to score at least 50% in both sections (Part A and Part B).
The candidates say the new scheme is an afterthought introduced by the GLC to deny them admission.
Among their demands, the Ghana National Association of Law Students says it wants the General Legal Council to with immediate effect cause the admission of the 499 candidates who they say passed the 2021 Law School exams.
The students also say they demand an immediate decentralization of Ghana’s legal education to give room for the law faculties in the various universities to train professional lawyers.