UPSA has been enforcing a strict dress code policy
The recent events at the University of Professional Studies Accra (UPSA) have stirred national attention and rightly so. Videos circulating on social media showing students being chased out of lecture halls for violating the university’s dress code paint a picture that is both disturbing and thought-provoking.
Let me be clear. I support discipline in academic institutions. I believe universities have a duty to uphold certain standards, especially in grooming students for professional life. However, the way we define and enforce these standards must be informed by reason, respect, and relevance. It must reflect not only institutional ideals but also the evolving norms of society.
Where the school may be right
UPSA is not wrong to expect decency and professionalism from its students. A university of such repute is justified in asking its students to dress in a manner that reflects the values of the professional world they are preparing to enter. Slippers, excessively revealing clothes, and dishevelled appearances may, indeed, contradict that expectation. Setting boundaries helps maintain order and focus within an academic environment.
Furthermore, students must understand that freedom does not mean disorder. With rights come responsibilities. A code of conduct, if applied fairly, can be a helpful guide, not a tool of oppression.
But the enforcement was misplaced
What I cannot support, however, is the approach that has accompanied this dress code enforcement. Students being removed from lecture halls mid-class, humiliated in front of peers, and denied access to education for what may be considered minor infractions is excessive. It defeats the very purpose of education, which should be transformative, not punitive.
Even more troubling is the inclusion of personal choices such as wearing a nose ring on the list of prohibited items. In what way does a nose ring obstruct learning or disrupt a classroom? Why must a student’s choice of personal adornment be treated with the same severity as a violation of academic integrity?
This is where I strongly part ways with the university’s current posture. The use of a nose ring, anklet, or similar personal item is not necessarily an affront to decency. It may be an expression of identity, culture, or individuality. Punishing students for such expressions risks pushing institutions into the realm of micromanagement and control rather than mentorship and growth.
Let us educate, not embarrass
If the university is serious about shaping students for professional life, then education, not humiliation, must be the strategy. A clear dress code policy, explained at orientation and reinforced through positive communication, would go much further than a task force stationed at entry points chasing students away.
Discipline should uplift, not break down. It should be corrective, not combative. Institutions must remember they are dealing with young adults, not children to be scolded at every turn.
The events at UPSA offer a moment of reflection for all institutions of higher learning. The call for discipline must not become a war on expression. While we uphold standards, we must also protect dignity.
Let us build universities where rules are guided by reason and enforcement is done with empathy. That is the mark of a truly professional institution.
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