Kaduna polytechnic to begin probe over dress code enforcement after student outcry

Kaduna Polytechnic is investigating complaints from students who were reportedly barred from lectures due to alleged violations of the dress code.

According to Kaduna Political affairs’ report, the situation arose at the College of Business and Management Studies and became widely known after videos of students protesting outside the campus circulated online.

In one video, a female student voiced her frustration after being prevented from attending class despite having initially gained access to the campus. She argued that her attire was modest and fully covered, questioning why officials ordered her to leave after security had allowed her in. “My trousers touch the ground; there is nothing inappropriate about my outfit,” she stated, revealing that she had been cleared by security before being stopped by another official.

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Many students, she lamented, had spent money on transportation only to be sent away over what she deemed minor dress code violations. She noted that some were turned away for having sleeves deemed too short, despite being fully covered otherwise.

The student urged the administration to intervene, indicating that the strict enforcement of the dress code had become excessive in the past week or two.

In response to the uproar, Kaduna Polytechnic’s management noted the videos and pointed out that the outfits of the students appearing in them were appropriate and moderate. In a statement released on Thursday by Deputy Registrar Godwin B. Ayegba, the school maintained that the students should not have been prohibited from lectures based on their clothing as showcased in the footage.

The institution explained that while it enforces a dress code to promote professionalism and a conducive learning environment, the policy must be implemented fairly and not excessively.

The management has initiated an investigation to assess the incident and identify any issues in the dress code enforcement process. It also stated that necessary actions would be taken to address what it described as “overzealous enforcement” of the rules while reaffirming its commitment to maintaining campus discipline without unnecessarily disrupting students’ access to education.

Students were encouraged to submit complaints through official channels instead of social media. The investigation aims to clarify the events leading up to the incident and prompt further actions from the school authorities.