THE QUALITY OF LEGAL EDUCATION IN KENYA

Abstract

Legal education in Kenya is a paradox. Whereas lawyers are deemed to be ‘learned friends’ legal education is undoubtedly one of the sectors of education that has for the past few years registered the highest rate of failure at the post-graduate level, particularly the Advocates Training Program (ATP). The reports of massive failures at the Kenya School of Law is report has caught the attention of the public, the Law Society of Kenya and the Senate. There have also been concerns about the standard of accreditation and licensing of law schools. Further, there have been reports by employers that suggest that law schools are producing ‘half-baked’ lawyers. This raises questions about the quality of Kenya’s legal education. Kenya’s legal education framework has mostly been similar from the 1960s to date. This research paper evaluates the quality of Kenya’s legal education framework, its effectiveness and the challenges facing it. This is premised on the following; that there has been a rise in cases of massive failure of the bar examination at the Kenya School of Law, the allegation that the legal training offered to students both in law school and at the Kenya School of Law is inadequate, and the need to amend and enforce the standards of accreditation and licensing of law schools in Kenya. This research will therefore look into the history and development of legal education in Kenya; Licensing and accreditation of law schools by looking at the role of Commission for University Education and the Council of Legal Education in licensing and accrediting law schools and the Legal Education (Accreditation and Quality Assurance) Regulations 2016; and finally make my recommendations and conclusions