• Ghana has joined other African countries that pay attention to cultural attires in the workplace.

• Teachers in a district of the west African country adopted this initiative and have since pushed it joyfully.

• The idea is to reinforce the creativity in the clothing of Africans.

Following conventions in other parts of Africa, teachers in the Hohoe Metropolis, Volta region, Ghana, have adopted the wearing of native Ghanaian and African clothing on the last Friday of every month. This creativity, introduced in 2022, is to encourage the wearing of native Ghanaian garments and to fortify collective bonds through culture and tradition.

Ms Janet Valerie Datsa, the Hohoe Municipal Director of Education, started this to merge culture and education into one since they were hitherto mutually separated. Other than boosting culture, it also fosters unity among teachers from a wide range of ethnic groups and backgrounds. Teachers in the Metropolis have followed the initiative religiously.

Every last Friday of each month, countless school grounds in the Municipality are continually awash with beautiful and assorted styles of African prints and native wears. Workers at the education offices also take part in this healthy showcase of culture.

Mr Samuel Kaletsi, one of the teachers at the St. Francis College of Education Demonstration Primary School, expressed his happiness with the creativity. “First of all, let me thank Madam Valerie- I mean our Municipal Director for her singular efforts in promoting cultural awareness and unity among the teaching class. This initiative has really helped in giving meaning to the true spirit of Africanism. In fact, our learners (pupils/students) are also benefiting from it as they are becoming enlightened on the cultural uniqueness of their beloved country, Ghana,” he said.

Other teachers applauded the proponent of the initiative for her sincere efforts in strengthening the ties since teachers in the municipality come from many parts of the country. They endorsed the idea as one that would nurture unity and national cohesion.

The main advocate of the idea, Madam Valerie Janet Datsa, said: “Well, I am so humbled by all of the praises being showered on me by my colleagues. I really don’t have much to say but I am happy that just in less than two years since this idea came up, it has gotten this far. I am really humbled,” Madam Datsa said, adding that it was necessary “so as to continue to showcase our rich culture, traditions and heritage to the rest of the world.”

She was hopeful that the concept would be accepted and implemented by other education boards in the district and other parts of the country.

This concept is not relatively new in Africa as in most Nigerian cities workers and businesspeople alike adorn themselves with native attires on Fridays, not just each month’s last Friday.