Guyana may soon see the long-awaited establishment of its own law school, following formal approval by the Caribbean Council of Legal Education (CLE), headquartered at the Hugh Wooding Law School in St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
This announcement was made yesterday by President Irfaan Ali during his inauguration for a second and final term, held at State House. The President described the move as a significant milestone that will broaden access to legal education for Guyanese students, many of whom have historically faced difficulties in securing places at regional law schools.
Currently, Guyana is allotted only 25 annual placements at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago, despite increasing numbers of qualified LLB graduates. The new national law school will allow students to complete their legal education locally, while maintaining the right to practice across CARICOM member states.
“Based on the recent approval granted by the Council for Legal Education, we will commence work immediately on the establishment of Guyana’s very own law school,” President Ali stated. “This will enable hundreds of persons to qualify as Attorneys-at-Law right here in Guyana.”
History of Legal Education in Guyana
The law programme at the University of Guyana (UG) was introduced under the People’s National Congress (PNC) government. Students typically completed only the first year of legal studies at the University of Guyana (UG), after which they transferred to the University of the West Indies (UWI) to complete the LLB and proceed to a regional law school for certification.
The full Faculty of Law at UG, offering the entire LLB programme, was officially launched in 1993. This allowed students to complete their full law degree in Guyana before seeking admission to a regional law school for the Legal Education Certificate (LEC).
Efforts to establish a law school in Guyana were aggressively pursued under the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration, led by former Attorney General Basil Williams, S.C.. The realisation of this initiative was also a campaign promise made by Aubrey Norton, the APNU presidential candidate.
Expanding Access to Professional Education
In addition to the law school announcement, President Ali also revealed plans to expand medical and engineering education across Regions Two, Three, Six, and Nine. Within six weeks, the government will make 200 new seats available in these disciplines, reducing the need for students to relocate to Georgetown or study abroad.
“These skill types are in high demand, and we’re going to ensure that these regions will be in a position to deliver education in every field of the College of Medicine and the University of Guyana, Faculty of Engineering,” the President stated.
Free Education Reinstated
Free education from nursery to university was first introduced by the PNC government in 1976, but was later taken away by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in 1994. Through national advocacy and public pressure, the Ali administration re-introduced free education from nursery to university in January 2025.
