The Need for Customized Academic Dresses for the Tertiary Institutions in Ghana: A Study of Kumasi Technical University Community

Abstract

Issues have been raised about the identity challenges that seem to have characterized most tertiary institutions in Ghana especially the Technical Universities as regards the academic gown usage during academic ceremonies. The usual practice is that Institutions who do not own the gowns hire from the traditional universities whose aims and philosophies are often at variance with them and in effect results in identity crisis. The aim of this paper was to investigate the issues concerning how gowns are used in the study area and the design expectations for befitting customized gowns. To do that descriptive research with cross sectional survey was undertaken in the study area using convenience and simple random sampling techniques and data were collected from 400 respondents. The findings were that most respondents recognised the existence of the issues pertinent to the use of the academic ensembles that amount to identity challenges and admitted that these issues need to be addressed by acquiring befitting customised academic dresses. Additionally, respondents were almost unanimously in favour of the various gown components designed to portray the philosophies and traditions of the institution and its faculties, be of good quality material, exquisitely sewn and being durable. Respondents indicated the need for deans of faculties to have special academic costumes specific to their status and positions and in all, they were of the view that gowns must have an indigenous traditional touch. It is thus recommended that all academic institutions in Ghana should acquire their own academic dresses which are in tune with their philosophies and traditions and capable of visibly differentiating them from their sister institutions. This outcome will help policy makers in their quest for the appropriate academic robes for their various institutions and faculties and also whip up interest for acquiring befitting academic robes. It will as well add to the body of knowledge for the use by the academia and other interested researchers.