(In Ghana) Video of UPSA Student Forcibly Removed Over Dress Code Violation Sparks Widespread Outrage and Debate

 

The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), has become a focal point of intense discussion in Ghana following the circulation of a video on July 2, 2025, showing a female student being forcibly removed from campus for allegedly violating the university’s dress code policy. The footage, which depicts a male member of a task force dragging the student, who was wearing a crop top and jeans, has ignited widespread controversy, with many netizens condemning UPSA for what they describe as humiliating and physically aggressive enforcement of its rules.

The incident, part of a broader crackdown on “indecent dressing” that began on July 1, 2025, after a memo from the Dean of Students, has drawn sharp criticism. Some online commentators have slammed UPSA for prioritizing what they call “frivolous” policies over its core mission of education and professional development. They argue that the aggressive enforcement, including reports of students being sent home for wearing shorts, slippers, or unkempt hair, reflects misplaced priorities.

Conversely, others have found humor in the situation, likening UPSA’s strict measures to those of a “glorified secondary school,” with social media posts mocking the university’s approach. The controversy has also resurfaced past incidents, such as a 2021 video of musician Black Sherif being scolded for wearing earrings, highlighting UPSA’s long-standing dress code enforcement. Dr. Ibn Kailan Abdul-Hamid, Head of the Marketing Department, responded by calling for calm, noting that the university has launched an internal investigation into the incident and urging the public to avoid snap judgments based on the unauthorized video

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