Practices of Honesty and Dishonesty: Implications of Academic Life of Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the practices of honesty and dishonesty and its implications on the academic life of Assin Manso Senior High School students (AMASS) in the Central Region of Ghana. A qualitative method was used in this study. A case study research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised students from Assin Manso senior high school in the Central Region of Ghana. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select fifty-two-(52) respondents for this study. The forty (40) respondents consisted of all Students Representative Councils (SRC) members in the school. Each class has a representation in the study. Twelve (12) teachers selected for the study constitute the members of the disciplinary committee in the school. The main instrument for data collection were unstructured interview guide and observation checklist. Data analysed and interpreted based on the themes related to the research questions. The study indicated that honesty is not only about truthfulness rather it entails sincerity, discipline, trustworthiness, frankness, authenticity, integrity, candour, probity, rectitude, incorruptibility and scrupulousness just to mention a few. The study also revealed that, some students were found not to be honest (cheating in examination, leaving school without exeat, covering up for wrongdoing, not obeying schools’ rules and regulations and so on) even though teachers do their best to instil moral values in them and this is due to the fact that the students have little knowledge about the importance and benefits of honesty to them, society, family, school, community and the country at large. Moreover, the study indicated that some of the students were aware of the harmful effects that dishonesty could have on all aspects of their lives. It is recommended that, Students who leave school without exeat or permission should be punished in order to deter others from doing same or to be made as a day student. Students who condone and connive a wrongdoing in the school should be punished. It is also recommended that to prevent students from cheating in an examination closed-circuit television (CCTV) should be fixed in the entire examination hall. Students who cheat in an examination should be punished by the examination committee.