- The UPSA Vice Chancellor has been the subject of online debate after he refused to shake hands with some male graduates over their hairstyles during the 2025 graduation ceremony
- The video sparked backlash online, with many condemning the act as discriminatory and disrespectful
- A Ghanaian hairstylist, Kamal Dini, told YEN.com.gh that hairstyles should never determine how students are treated and called for more inclusive policies
A video circulating on the internet, captured from the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) during their 2025 graduation ceremony, has sparked reactions and heated debate online.
Source: TikTok
The trending video shows a UPSA Vice Chancellor intentionally shunning the handshake with some male graduates who extended their hands during the awards presentation, as he was shaking hands with each graduate who walked up to the podium to receive their awards.
The students who suffered this disgrace were those with hairstyles the Vice Chancellor deemed “indecent”, including dreadlocks, cornrows, taper fades, and other unconventional haircuts.
They were ignored despite reaching out for a handshake, leaving many visibly uncomfortable on stage. However, other students were greeted warmly.
The video circulating has triggered criticism on social media as Ghanaians criticise the Vice Chancellor’s conduct, deeming it discriminatory and disrespectful.
UPSA dress code vs common decency
They reiterated that hairstyles should not overshadow academic achievement, particularly on a very special day marked to celebrate years of hard work and dedication.
Others insisted that the lecturer’s behaviour was unnecessary and humiliating, especially in front of family and friends.
Also, a minor section of the public supported the lecturer’s demeanour, stating that students should maintain a professional look, especially during such formal occasions.
For them, the lecturer’s refusal to greet was a silent but loud way of enforcing discipline and UPSA’s strict and formal standards in line with Ghanaian cultural values.
UPSA yet to comment on graduates’ snub
So far, the University of Professional Studies has not released an official statement on the circulating video.
The viral video continues to spark online arguments, raising larger questions about the balance between personal expression and societal expectations in Ghana’s academic institutions.
For many, the key concern remains: should a graduate’s hairstyle really matter on a day that celebrates academic excellence?
Watch the trending video below:
Hairstylist urges inclusivity after UPSA graduation controversy
In an interaction with YEN.com.gh, an international Ghanaian hairstylist, Kamal Din, CEO of Kamala Afro Seventy Hair Saloon, shared professional insights on why such actions are troubling and how society can change its perception of hair.
He explained that while personal presentation matters, a student’s hairstyle should never determine how a lecturer or academic institution treats them.
“Everyone has their own identity and should not be forced to conform,” he told YEN.com.gh. “A student should not be judged based on appearance. In education, what matters most is effort, participation, and learning, not hairstyles.”
The hairstylist added that when authority figures openly discriminate against students over hair choices, they risk reinforcing cultural bias and exclusion. Such acts, he said, can make students feel ashamed, unwelcome, and undervalued despite their academic success.
He suggested that Ghanaian institutions and companies review restrictive hair policies and instead adopt inclusive approaches that recognise natural hairstyles as valid expressions of identity.
Public figures and salon professionals, he added, also have a role to play in debunking stereotypes about dreadlocks, cornrows, and other creative styles.
“Discriminating against a student for cornrows or dreadlocks does not reflect their discipline or character,” he stressed. “Hairstyle does not determine academic performance; it only shapes how others perceive them.”
For him, graduation ceremonies should be a celebration of academic excellence, not an arena for judgment on appearance.
Source: Twitter
UPSA condemns staffer over student manhandling
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) condemned the staff member who manhandled a student.
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The incident occurred while enforcing the school’s professional and formal dress code on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.
The university reaffirmed its dress code policy and announced stricter disciplinary measures that were enforced from July 1, 2025.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
Source: Yen.com.gh
