Otafire backs private bill on pre-entry exams

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Gen. Kahinda Otafire has backed a Private Member’s Bill seeking to amend the Advocacy Act to scrap the pre-entry exams for the Bar Course at Law Development Centre (LDC).

Otafire made the statement while appearing before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on Tuesday. This followed concerns raised by the Chairperson Jacob Oboth Oboth on the fate of thousands of law graduates who have been asked to sit for pre-entry exams this year.

Oboth tasked the Minister to shed light on the matter noting that the Uganda Law Council had moved to scrap the exams but was surprised to find out that pre-entry exams have been scheduled for August 20th.

The West Budama South revealed that he was going to present a motion on Thursday on the floor seeking leave to present a Private Members Bill to amend Section 6 of the Advocacy Act which gives the Law Council mandate to regulate the legal training and to determine qualifications for a Bar Course.

The Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee has in the past accused the Law Council of working with private lawyers to mint money from unsuspecting students who want to access legal training. In its recent report to parliament on the Budget, the committee said that the lawyers run bureaus for the examinations.

The committee argued that pre-entry exams have out-lived its usefulness and that it is more commercial than academic process of screening and sieving those who would undertake legal training in law. Countries like Ghana and Kenya have already out-lawed the exams.

Oboth says that while considering the LDC budget for the financial year 2019/2020 his committee declined to appropriate funds towards conducting the exams. He asked the minister to tell MPs what the official ministry position was on the matter.

Gen. Otafire said the pre-entry exams need to be scrapped. He however admitted that money was being sourced to conduct exams this year and that the exams will be eventually phased out.

He argued that he supported the idea of scrapping the exams and said LDC should admit all graduates and let the examiners determine which students make it to the bar.

When quizzed on the fate of the exams this year he stated that it will be handled administratively.

In the past, Parliament called for the abolishment of the pre-entry exams, especially for the law course. Last year, it was resolved to end the practice of students doing pre-entry exams for admission to the Bar course, in an effort to increase access to legal practice in the country.

However, the policy has continued since it is supported by legal provisions under the Advocacy Act.

Different sections of the public argue that the pre-entry examinations are not a guarantee of quality assurance and recently MPs sitting on the Education Committee Chaired by Paliisa County MP Jacob Opolot argued that the policy has increased cases of corruption in universities and that money is extorted from students in different parts of Kampala City by people who purport to sell exams to them.

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