Kenya School of Law (KSL) to Ease Admission Under New Bill
Kirinyaga Woman Representative Jane Njeri Maina has put forth a new Bill aimed at permitting students who do not meet the prerequisites to gain admission to the Kenya School of Law (KSL).
The Kenya School of Law (Amendment) Bill 2023 endeavors to modify the Kenya School of Law Act to enable students who have achieved the minimum entry criteria for a Diploma in Law and those who have acquired a Diploma in Law from a recognized University, University college, or any other accredited institution in Kenya to enroll in the Kenya School of Law for the Advocates Training Programme (ATP).
The MP states that the new Bill aims to streamline the legal student training process after numerous calls for reform from diverse stakeholders.
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According to the Bill, “A person who does not meet the requirements shall be eligible for admission at the ATP if that person attained a minimum entry requirement for the diploma in law.”
Currently, the Kenya School of Law (KSL) mandates students to attain a minimum grade of B in English or Kiswahili and achieve a mean grade of C+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) or its equivalent for admission.
Njeri is sponsoring this Bill, and it represents one of several legislative proposals aimed at easing the requirements for legal education in the country.
Embakasi East MP Babu Owino previously introduced the Legal Education (Amendment) Bill 2023, which aimed to lower the requirements for Law Degrees.
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The MP aimed to eliminate the provision necessitating applicants to have obtained a grade B in English or Kiswahili, contending that it would enable more students to pursue the course.
The MP contended that these requirements exclude hundreds of potential lawyers from the training.
The country has been grappling with a surge in cases of individuals impersonating lawyers and practicing without the requisite licenses.
In the most recent high profile case, Brian Mwenda was discovered practicing law by assuming the identity of another legal practitioner.
Nonetheless, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has pledged to eradicate all fraudulent individuals from the legal profession.
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Kenya School of Law (KSL) to Ease Admission Under New Bill
