ABSTRACT

Education in Ghana has undergone numerous changes and has adopted different forms. This has affected so many professions, the accounting profession inclusive. In line with that, this work assessed the relevance of accounting ethics as a course in business-related programmes in tertiary education in Ghana, using the University of Cape Coast as a case. The work analytically and hypothetically sought to ascertain the relationship between accounting ethics and students' performance in accounting education. The work also evaluated the perceptions of both higher institution lecturers and professional bodies' lecturers regarding the relevance of teaching accounting ethics on the level of performance of accounting students. With a descriptive case study survey methodology, data were collected using questionnaire instruments and analysed in tables and frequencies. The data were collected from a sample of 47 drawn from lecturers in higher institutions and professional bodies. A further analysis employed regression and the student's t-test statistical techniques. The study discovered that accounting ethics affects the performance of accounting students. The lecturers' perceptions on the relevance of teaching accounting ethics aligned with those of professional bodies' lecturers. The null hypothesis was rejected in the first set of hypotheses, since accounting education impacts the academic performance of students. However, in the second hypothesis, the alternate was rejected while the null was accepted, indicating that there is no difference in the perception of the two categories of respondents on the performance level of students. This work concludes that teaching accounting ethics is relevant and affects the performance of students, and recommends that government should invest in accounting ethics and education, support continuous training for accounting lecturers, and review the accounting education curriculum in line with global demands.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

During the last two decades of the twentieth century, many studies were devoted to the teaching of accounting, particularly to the development of the ethical and moral capacities of accountants (Alam, 1998; Armstrong, 1993; Ponemon, 1993; Mintz, 1995), as well as the relevance of university accounting programmes for industry (Pan & Perera, 2012; Awayiga et al., 2010; Kutluk et al., 2012). Some argued that such studies were motivated by financial disasters such as Enron and WorldCom in the United States (Pan & Perera, 2012). These high-profile scandals shattered public trust and questioned the ethical practices of accountants and corporations, prompting a legislative response in the form of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which mandated major changes to accounting practices, auditor independence, and corporate governance (Babalola et al., 2023). Others have argued that studies on skills development for accounting graduates were motivated by criticisms that university accounting education had been unable to respond adequately to the dynamic needs of the contemporary business environment (Awayiga et al., 2010).

The broader context of these debates has intensified in recent years as researchers continue to document a significant gap between the competencies possessed by accounting graduates and the expectations of employers (Vázquez et al., 2024; Banasik & Jubb, 2021, as cited in Summa: Journal of Accounting and Tax, 2025). Recent literature has underscored the urgency of curriculum reform, highlighting that while accounting programmes succeed in instilling technical knowledge, graduates often lack practical experience with digital tools, ethical reasoning, and interpersonal communication competencies (Asonitou, 2022; Tharapos, 2022). A systematic review of accounting employability by Micallef (2024) identified the growing importance of a diverse skill set for accountants including professional skills, soft skills, and strategic competencies while noting persistent gaps between employer expectations and graduate preparedness.

Other researchers have emphasised that the level of global competition and international integration means that employers expect considerably more from accountants upon university graduation (Celik & Ecer, 2009; Kutluk et al., 2012). Globalization and the integration of world economies, combined with the development of global treaties and regional financial blocs, have all reinforced calls to improve the teaching of international accounting (Rezaee et al., 1997). To complement the many calls for accounting education reform worldwide, the accounting profession has worked at different levels to develop international standards to guide accounting education. Notable among these efforts are the International Education Standards (IES) developed by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), which underwent significant revisions in 2025, with changes particularly affecting IES 2, 3, and 4 to align with sustainability-related reporting and assurance requirements (IFAC, 2025). At the same time, the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA) has continued to update its Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, with major revisions published in 2022, 2023, and 2024 (IESBA, 2024).

The growing attention paid to ethics education in accounting has been documented comprehensively by Poje and Zaman Groff (2022), who conducted a bibliometric analysis of 134 primary studies and found that research output in this area increased substantially in the aftermath of corporate accounting scandals. Their analysis identified three major thematic clusters in the literature: the influence of corporate scandals on ethics education, the role of moral reasoning frameworks, and the pedagogical strategies employed to teach ethics to accounting students. These findings affirm the enduring scholarly relevance of ethics in accounting education and provide a strong mandate for continued studies in developing country contexts such as Ghana.

Concerns about the adequacy of ethics integration in accounting programmes are not confined to the global North. A recent study by Antwi et al. (2024) focused specifically on tertiary institutions in Ghana and found that while accounting curricula demonstrated approximately 70% alignment with IES 4 (Professional Values, Ethics, and Attitudes) requirements, gaps persisted in the practical application of ethical standards. These findings are corroborated by a related study published in 2024 in Cogent Education, which found that final-year accounting students across five Ghanaian public universities perceived ethics to be inadequately embedded in their curricula, despite the formal existence of ethics-related courses (Amoah et al., 2024). Such findings underscore the particular relevance of this study for the Ghanaian tertiary education context.

Ghana, as a country, has also taken steps to train quality accounting graduates who meet the needs and expectations of the international market. Government agencies such as the National Accreditation Board (NAB), universities, and other stakeholders have taken pragmatic steps to ensure that university programmes meet accreditation criteria. However, the professional accreditation of programmes alone cannot serve as a sufficient criterion for promoting their quality (Jackling & Keneley, 2009; Lightbody, 2010). In practice, the market determines the fate of accountants with respect to their roles, functions, and professional careers (Carnegie & Napier, 2010; Jackling & De Lange, 2013). Universities must therefore ensure that accounting graduates are well prepared and equipped with the basic competencies that best reflect market practices within the accounting profession (Johns, 2006).

The nature of accounting roles is changing rapidly, influenced by digitalization, globalization, and heightened public scrutiny of corporate governance. Liyanapathirana and Akroyd (2023) demonstrated that cultural and religious factors also interact significantly with accountants' ethical decision-making, particularly in developing country contexts with high levels of corruption. Meanwhile, Poje and Zaman Groff (2023) found that ethics education toolkits can positively influence the moral judgment of accounting students. These findings collectively highlight the multidimensional nature of accounting ethics education and the need for institution- and context-specific research such as the present study.

1.2 Statement of Problem

The teaching of accounting has been criticised by some researchers who assert that it has been slow to match recent progress in business ethics and the broader environment (Albrecht & Sacks, 2010; Chua & Perera, 2016; Mohamed & Lashine, 2013). With this in mind, it has become increasingly important to study the relevance of accounting ethics as a course in business-related programmes in higher education, as well as the market relevance of these academic accounting programmes.

Earlier studies adopted narrow methodological scopes or focused on contexts not representative of sub-Saharan African realities. For instance, Mbawuni (2015) focused on interviewing undergraduate and graduate students, while Asonitou (2015) used responses from accounting professors regarding the introduction of professional skills in Greek higher education institutions. Similarly, Kutluk et al. (2012) examined the opinions of public accountants only with respect to the current situation of university accounting training. These limited perspectives make it difficult to generalise findings to developing country contexts.

In the Ghanaian context specifically, there have been calls to address the inadequate integration of ethics in accounting curricula at the university level (Onumah et al., 2012). More recently, Boateng and Agyapong (2022) as well as Liyanapathirana and Akroyd (2023) have reiterated the under-researched nature of ethics in accounting education in emerging economies. A study of curriculum design in accounting programmes in Ghana found that the nature and extent of ethics integration varied considerably across institutions, and that neither the type of institution nor its affiliation status reliably predicted the quality of ethics education (Simpson et al., 2016). These findings suggest that systemic, government-level intervention may be required.

Given the collapse of moral values observed globally, and the persistence of accounting fraud and corporate governance failures in both developed and developing economies, there is growing controversy about whether formal ethics education produces lasting behavioural change (Poje & Zaman Groff, 2022). This debate is particularly relevant in the Ghanaian context, where the relationship between cultural values, religious beliefs, and professional ethics is complex and under-studied (Liyanapathirana & Akroyd, 2023). This study therefore seeks to assess the relevance of teaching accounting ethics as a course in business-related programmes in Ghanaian tertiary education, contributing to both the local and international literature on the subject.

1.3 Research Objectives

The general objective of this study is the assessment of the relevance of accounting ethics as a course in business-related programmes in tertiary education in Ghana. The specific objectives of this study are:

1. To ascertain the perception of accounting educators and students on the relevance of accounting ethics in Ghana's tertiary education system.

2. To determine the relationship between teaching accounting ethics and the level of academic performance in accounting education of students in Ghana.

3. To find out if there is any difference in the perception of higher institution lecturers and professional bodies' lecturers on the relevance of teaching accounting ethics to accounting students in Ghana.

4. To explore the best forms of pedagogies and strategies for teaching accounting ethics to accounting students and trainee accountants.

5. To ascertain the reality of teaching accounting ethics and the influence of culture in shaping the ethical behaviour of accounting students in Ghana.

1.4 Research Questions

This study investigates the answers to pertinent questions on the subject under discussion:

1. What is the perception of accounting educators and students on the relevance of accounting ethics in Ghana's tertiary education system?

2. What is the relationship between teaching accounting ethics and the level of academic performance in accounting education of students in Ghana?

3. Is there any difference in the perception of higher institution lecturers and professional bodies' lecturers on the relevance of teaching accounting ethics to accounting students in Ghana?

4. What are the best forms of pedagogies and strategies for teaching accounting ethics to accounting students and trainee accountants?

5. How feasible is teaching accounting ethics and what is the influence of culture in shaping the ethical behaviour of accounting students in Ghana?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will contribute to existing literature in accounting education, focusing on the enhancement of university programmes and the positive prospects of accounting ethics for graduates in Ghana. The study also contributes to literature on the perspectives of both existing accounting programmes and educators. In the area of education and academic policy, the findings will serve as a guide to curriculum developers seeking to understand employer needs and to align university accounting programmes and instruction methods with those needs. This is consistent with calls in recent literature for context-sensitive curriculum reform that reflects both international standards and local realities (Amoah et al., 2024; IFAC, 2025). In addition, the findings of the study will serve as a guide to university accounting students to understand what is expected of them by industry, so that they may ensure that they train themselves to meet the expectations of employers, a matter of increasing importance given recent investments in Ghana and other developing countries by international companies.

1.6 Scope of Study

This work encompasses the relevance of accounting ethics as a course in business-related programmes in tertiary education in Ghana. The institution used for this study was the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

1.7 Organization of Study

The study has been grouped into five chapters. Chapter one is the introductory chapter which includes research objectives, significance of the study, and the study outline. Chapter two examines relevant literature of this study. Chapter three examines the methodology used for the study, including the tools and techniques used for collecting and analysing data. Chapter four presents the data analysis and discussion of the results and findings. Finally, chapter five presents a summary of findings, conclusion, and recommendations.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Accounting Ethics: Primarily a field of applied ethics, and part of business ethics and human ethics, the study of moral values and judgments as they apply to accountancy. It is an example of professional ethics.

Accounting Education: This encompasses all designed activities of learning aimed at inculcating qualitative knowledge and skill on the ethics, principles, and practice of accounting.

Curriculum: The set of courses, coursework, and their content, offered at a school or a university.

IFRS: International Financial Reporting Standards.

IES: International Education Standards, issued by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

IPSAS: International Public Sector Accounting Standard.

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