The General Legal Council must admit the 499 students – Dafeamrkpor

The public, having had an appreciation of the outcome of the recent outcome of the Law School Entrance Examinations which resulted in the initial release of some 790 Pass List out of the 2824 Applicants as those who have met the entry requirements by the GLC. And having also become aware of the denial of admission to 499 Applicants who have obtained the 50% pass mark or more, how this matter is resolved has now become a public interest issue.

While some individuals have put in various requests at different quarters to have access to information as well as impress upon the GLC to admit the 499 students, I wish to admonish the GLC to, as a matter of urgency, issue a Supplementary Pass List and offer admissions to the 499 Applicants pending the outcome of any future decision.

As it stands now, evidence of the raw scores obtained reveals that additional 499 Applicants met the strict criteria. The change made in the criteria was an afterthought: a complete departure from what was put out by the Board of Legal Education in a Notice publicized in the Daily Graphic on 14th May 2021, months ahead of the Entrance Examinations. Paragraph 5(iii) of the said Notice read as follows: Eligible Applicants who attain the minimum threshold Mark set by the GLC WILL BE OFFERED ADMISSION for the 2021/2022 Academic Year to pursue the Professional Law Course” (Emphasis is mine)

Ipso facto, such an act cannot be allowed to stand. I am inspired by Bryant McGill that we “must not make the mistake of thinking that we have to agree with people in order to defend them from injustice”. What’s happening to these Applicants is pure injustice.

It is therefore advisable for the GLC via the Board of Legal Education to enrol the 499 onto the Professional Law programme pending any further determination. If they have to be withdrawn after the outcome of any decision in the future, they would have lost nothing.

Any action that would culminate in their being kept at home pending any determination of this matter would be injurious to their interest. Simply put, it is a much better option to admit the 499 now and dismiss later on grounds of proven ineligibility than to deny admission now only to discover proven eligibility in the post admission deadline. That’ll would be paradise lost to the 499.

“Thou shall not ration justice”. Learned Hand.

Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, Esq.

MP-South Dayi
Member: Const, Legal & Parliamentary Affairs & Public Accounts Committees.