Thursday, 28 March

Failed law students petition GLC

Education
Ghana School of Law

Some students who were failed in the 2021 law entrance examination, have petitioned the independent Examination Committee of the General Legal Council, to have all those who made the overall 50 per cent pass-mark but were failed for not crossing the 50 per cent mark in one of the two sections of the exam, gain admission to the Ghana School of Law.

Only 790 out of 2,824 candidates passed the exam this year.

The aggrieved students, in their petition, argued that failing them per the new directive, amounted to implementing a quota system, which has resulted in 499 of them being denied professional legal education.

“We, therefore, believe this notice, issued under the hand of Mr. Kwesi Prempeh-ECK, is an anomaly and must be discarded to preserve the sanctity of your respected committee, as well as its well-established marking scheme, until it is properly reviewed and appropriately communicated for observance and compliance.”

“All rules and guidelines governing the conduct of the exam must be clearly communicated prior to students sitting the paper and not after the release of exam results, as has just been witnessed.”

Meanwhile, Madina MP Francis-Xavier Sosu has petitioned the Speaker of Parliament concerning the mass failure.

Mr Sosu, who is the Deputy Ranking Member of the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, insists the results must be investigated to ascertain whether or not the results are genuine.

“Article 37(1) of the 1992 Constitution provides that the State shall endeavour to secure and protect a social order founded on the ideals and principle of freedom, equality, justice, probity, and accountability as enshrined in Chapter 5 of this Constitution; and in particular, the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring every citizen has equality of rights, obligations, and opportunities before the law”, he said.

“As such, there is the need for investigations to ascertain whether or not the pass rates and scores are based on the actual performance of students during examinations, or as a result of lack of available infrastructure to accommodate the excess numbers, hence this petition.”

Meanwhile, the SRC of the Ghana School of Law has called for dialogue for a national dialogue on the matter.

 

Source: classfmonline.com