The Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Eric Edem Agbana, has criticised the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), over its recent directive on students’ dress code.
The university has warned that students dressed indecently will not be allowed into lecture halls.
A memo dated June 30 cautioned students that they “will not be allowed into lecture halls with unkempt hair, shorts, bathroom slippers, track suits, anklets, nose rings, etc., to mention a few.”
On Wednesday, July 2, videos circulated on social media showing members of the UPSA task force turning away students for flouting the dress code policy.
Reacting in a social media post on the same day, Edem Agbana described the directive as unacceptable and an overreach in a tertiary institution.
“I understand the importance of instilling discipline and upholding codes of conduct in our educational institutions. However, banning nose rings, anklets, and similar forms of personal expression at the tertiary level is an overreach. UPSA must reconsider the scope of this directive,” he wrote.
He added, “As a former student leader, I would not have accepted such a measure. As a Member of Parliament and a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education, I do not accept it now.”
The lawmaker who used to be a student leader further warned that if such actions go unchallenged, they could set a dangerous precedent.
“If we do not nip such directives in the bud, an institution may wake up tomorrow and declare that students with tattoos, or anything similar, are not welcome,” he cautioned.
