The purpose of the study was to examine the knowledge base of students in the Assin Manso Senior High School in the central region of Ghana. A qualitative method was used in this 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 forty (40) 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. The main instrument for data collection was interview guide. The data collection was done using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The qualitative data was analysed by the use of the interpretative technique based on the themes arrived at during the interview. The themes were related to the research question. The study revealed that honesty is being loyal to a colleague, covering them up and standing by them as well. The study also indicated that honesty depict “we feeling” or “solidarity”, so to them any students who does the opposite is considered to be dishonest. It is recommended that, Students who obey the school rules and regulations should be motivated by the school authorities in order to encourage the other students to do same. It is also recommended that parents and educators, should all advocate the teaching of moral values in our schools to instil in students the benefits that honest brings to them, the school, the family, community and the country as a whole.

Philosophers attribute the virtue of honesty to two distinct positions: The virtue of honesty defined as the commitment to seek the truth and live in accordance with it; and (ii) the virtue of honesty understood as the commitment to live in accordance with it. (ii) The virtue of honesty, which is opposed to the distortion of facts. These two perspectives on honesty do not have to be mutually exclusive. However, while the former appears to encompass all areas of human life, the latter is more closely associated with the virtue of sincerity and refers to the feature of human connections in which things are conveyed to others in the same way that they have been observed and known to others [1]. According to philosophers, honesty is the greatest of all human virtues because it provides us with significant personal benefits as well as far greater group and national benefits [1]. It provides us with a stable foundation as people. Our culture, for example, longs for honest leaders, students, teachers, and government officials. Honesty is also a motivator for always doing the right thing [1]. Honesty becomes a core assumption for all behaviours when it is conceived as what is proper for personal behaviour and relationships. Honesty, in this view, describes what is right, courageous, brave, and prudent [1]. The inter-relationship between the cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice) and honesty has maybe been understated, but it is clear: we call someone honest who possesses the four cardinal virtues. In reality, classical thought's defence of the virtues can only be sustained by stating that the honest man can only be attained by cultivating the cardinal virtues, because the honest characteristic can only be attained by growing these basic virtues [1].

1.1. Contemporary Understanding of Honesty

Contemporary scholars examine truthfulness via the lens of Miller's five approaches to truthfulness. A researcher asserts that "the virtue of honesty is fundamentally a character attribute concerned with reliably not manipulating facts" [2]. Miller's five ways or modes of behaviour appear at first glance to be incompatible with the virtue of honesty: lying, stealing, cheating, breaking promises, and deceiving [2]. Miller continued, "Someone who steals repeatedly for moral grounds that are insufficiently good is not someone we would often define as honest." Similarly, someone who withholds critical facts on a consistent basis in order to mislead his or her audience into false belief cannot be considered as an honest person. An honest person is disposed to perform admirably in each of these five spheres of moral existence. The term "excellence" in this context encompasses more than just external behaviour; it also refers to virtue-motivated behaviour and other internal variables. In other words, the character of an honest person is structured in the following ways: I Sincerity: the dependable inclination to tell the truth when it is morally justified. (ii) Property respect: the consistent moral tendency to respect the property of others. (iii) Adherence to proper norms: the dependable inclination to adhere to fair and appropriate rules in situations involving voluntary participation for good moral reasons. (iii) Promise fidelity: the dependable inclination to maintain acceptable promises when morally justified. (v) Forthrightness: the dependable inclination to avoid deception by providing an adequate presentation of pertinent information when it is appropriate for sound moral cause [2]. Additionally, a major failure in any of these categories, such as being a persistent liar or cheat, is sufficient to demonstrate a lack of integrity. Similarly, honesty requires success in all five of Miller's approaches. The critical point is that honesty is plausibly tied to at least four several categories of behaviour, and hence an account of honesty that focuses exclusively on stating the truth and avoiding falsehoods is likely to be insufficient [3].

A researcher posits a concept he refers to as the "unification issue," which explains why honesty is seen to appear in seemingly disparate ways or behaviours, including the five dimensions of honesty listed previously [2]. For any account of honesty to be successful, it must be able to meet Miller's unification test. That is, a successful description of honesty will illuminate why it is inextricably related or associated with a variety of seemingly disparate types of behaviour, including the five elements of honesty. The fundamental claim that honesty is merely avoiding deception or telling the truth does not satisfy Miller's requirement. Miller's five ideas raise several difficult cases. It is reasonable to assume that truthfulness entails not wilfully manipulating the facts, as well as proper compliance (for example, by pretending illness to escape punishment) and property respect. Additionally, not manipulating the facts on purpose is associated with forthrightness. A less than candid agent may frequently be attempting to promote a false understanding of the facts, either implicitly or through omission. These factors contribute to Miller's first proposal of honesty being related with four of the five elements of honesty [3]. Miller discusses several issues, one of which is promise loyalty. The question now is to what extent does breaching a pledge imply deliberate distortion of the facts? Is it true that false promises are synonymous with dishonesty? For example, promising to assist someone financially even when you have no intention of doing so. Miller asserts that I fabricate information about what I might do in the future. However, what happens when an agent makes a real attempt to honour a promise but fails? Is this type of breach of promise a symptom of dishonesty, and if so, can it be interpreted as a deliberate distortion of the facts? Miller asserts that not all breaches of a promise are indicative of a lack of integrity. According to Miller, adherence to promises is correctly connected with honesty, but only because a frequent failure to keep pledges raises legitimate doubts about the sincerity with which those promises were made. If they are not, then the individual is being untruthful. However, failure to maintain a commitment demonstrates a lack of honesty on the side of the individual, as an honest person must always keep his or her word regardless of the circumstances. Furthermore, honouring promises demonstrates a person's reliability and genuineness. Additionally, it will instil confidence in those around him or her [3].

Miller's five methods or modes of honesty, on the other hand, appear to fall into two categories: truthfulness and justice. To be honest is to be a person who is prone to tell the truth, and in some instances where giving the truth is not strictly required; it may be beneficial to volunteer it. As a subset of honesty, forthrightness is a particularly "open" form of truthfulness. For instance, while one's marital status may have some bearing on a prospective employer's judgment about him or her; it is also strictly "none of his or her business." If he or she then describes my marital condition accurately, he or she displays the truthfulness of forthrightness. Moreover, sincerity may fill particular contents in which the speaker might create truth by action. This category includes truthfulness and commitment to promises. For instance, if someone promises Nathanael that he or she will purchase him a car for Christmas, that person binds himself or herself to making the statement real. However, following through on our commitments to another person is one of many ways to do justice to the other, but only if he or she makes a promise and then fails, purposefully or negligently, to make it real. He or she has acted in an unjustifiable manner toward him or her. Thus, this type of honesty encompasses both truth and fairness [4].

Similarly, honesty as an expression of respect for one's property rights is another form of justice. To have a right to a particular piece of property implies that others owe that person respect and observance of that right. Honesty appears to fit within the category of justice, as does playing by the rules. It is not dishonest to break rules to which one is not bound. Thus, compliance with the rules can be viewed as a duty owed to the other players, and thus as a form of justice, where justice is defined as essentially reimbursing others [4]. In a similar spirit, honesty as respect for property rights and honesty as compliance with rules, like honesty as honouring promises, appear to imply a degree of sincerity for frank failure to respect property rights or follow the rules. Forthrightness is simply a more open form of truthfulness; promise keeping is not only a form of truthfulness but also a form of justice; and respect for property and conformity with rules are both forms of justice that may or may not include truthfulness, depending on the circumstances [4].

1.2. Importance of Honesty

One of the most valuable and desirable habits a person can develop is honesty. Several advantages can be gained through this habit. Here are some of the most significant advantages of being honest. Honesty leads to happiness and good health. One does not have to worry about being caught in the act of dishonesty if one practice honesty in his or her life. As a result, worry and tension will no longer be a problem for him or her. High blood pressure, diabetes, exhaustion, and a weakened immune system are all symptoms of a stressful lifestyle. This could lead to a slew of other disorders, all of which can be debilitating. To avoid such diseases and to live a happy life, one must adopt an honest way of living [5]. Honesty also contributes to mental tranquillity. People who are dishonest are terrified. They lose their mental equilibrium and are dissatisfied with their current living circumstances. Honesty dispels all sorts of fear and aids in the maintenance of calm and mental tranquillity. One makes better judgments and improve the quality of his or her life when you have a steady and serene mind [5].

Honest people are valued and admired in several cultures. If one is not trustworthy, he or she might be surprised to realize that no one wants to do business with him or her, let alone have a personal or professional relationship with him or her. Even society members will be hostile to him or her. Liars do not have much of a chance in life. Some people relish the opportunity to say what is on their minds. With trustworthy people, they form deep bonds and gain increased intimacy. They have faith in, respect for, and honour for the individual. Good people will enter one's life if they are honest [5]. Honesty contributes to the spread of kindness in the world: being surrounded by honest individuals always results in a joyful life full of positive energy. It encourages others to be positive. They are adored by the public, and those that are truthful are idolized. They represent the world's goodness. The importance of honesty in one's life will serve to build goodwill in the community [5]. In addition, by being honest, one contributes to making the world a better place to live. A good interpersonal relationship with genuine and positive people can be created if one has a practice of honesty. One's happiness level rises, and he or she leads a calm, negative-free life. This has a favourable impact on one's physical and psychological well-being. For those who come into contact with him or her, that person becomes an icon. He or she is enveloped in a positive aura. Those people are drawn to others and can persuade them to be honest in their daily lives. Mahatma Gandhi's honesty was important in India's independence from British rule. He also emphasized the necessity of honesty and nonviolence in improving global situations [5].

Being honest is advantageous since one's behaviour becomes more comfortable when one has nothing to conceal. Furthermore, one’s honesty is one of the ways in which others evaluate you. If one cannot be trusted to be honest, you will never have a solid business relationship, friends, or even a nice life. Honesty is never stealing or deceiving people. It can be used to describe chastity or honesty. It's a wonderful quality that everyone admires, and it is necessary in all kinds of interactions, including friendship. It is tough to find genuine honesty. The sun can be detected by its clear rays, much as an honest person can be identified by his or her uncomplicated demeanour and agreeable behaviour. A courageous, truthful, and trustworthy individual is seen as a trustworthy and respected member of society. His or her personality shines like a sharp blade, and he or she maintains a high profile inside the group. As the proverb says, "honesty is the best policy." Honesty improves morality and purity of character [6]. Integrity is also thought to be a desirable trait. We feel exalted in the sight of others and enjoy inner joy when we are regarded as trustworthy. As a result, it is critical to place a premium on truthfulness. After we have decided to be honest, we will want to do everything possible to keep this excellent trait [7].

Honesty is a tool for telling the truth and earning people's trust. A trustworthy person is someone who has won the trust of a friend. Such a person will have the trust of society as well as family members [8]. In this case, I argue that an honest individual will be trusted not just by society and family, but also by teachers and school officials. Furthermore, honesty helps people fulfil their religious obligations: every religion on the planet encourages people to be honest in all parts of their lives. Truthfulness, for example, is one of the fundamental principles of Buddhist ethics. Buddha often emphasized the significance of honesty in one's life [5]. ―He is the way, the truth, and the life, Jesus Christ proclaimed in a similar way. (Matthew 14:6) Being sincere means following in God's footsteps for Christians. Every ideal Hindu should observe ten Yamas, or rules and restraints. Honesty and forthrightness are the eighth and last constraint. That is, dishonesty and wrongdoing are no longer acceptable. Similarly, Islam requires Muslims to be truthful to themselves and others. ―O you who believe, for God and be with those who are true (in words and deeds),‖ Allah, the Most Gracious, commands a Muslim to be truthful. 9:719 of the Qur'an. ―To foster moral and domestic characteristics like as loyalty, appreciation for all favours received, philanthropy, justice, truth, and honesty. According to Sikh doctrine, all Sikhs must earn a living honestly and avoid worldly temptations and sins [5]. A related development is that according to Zoroastrian teachings, a true Zoroastrian must be honest with others. In the Gathas, it is stated explicitly that living a truthful life is beneficial. Even a small amount of wealth earned via honesty provides true peace of mind, but vast sums amassed through dishonesty make life unpleasant. It is believed in Zoroastrian teachings, particularly when it comes to accumulating wealth in an unethical manner. As a result, every religion in the world encourages society to be honest and true. Religious people can't be dishonest. They are not religiously devout. In their belief, God rejects them. Being truthful involves adhering to one’s religion's teachings and carrying out his or her religious obligations responsibly [5].

Honesty is a moral value that has been studied extensively in moral development research. For many years, it was assumed that honesty was not a universal personality feature, and that any association between honesty in one scenario and honesty in another may be attributed to the similarity of the settings, rather than being a stable personality trait. The notion of specificity and generality is used to support this study. According to the notion of specificity, people can be honest in one context and dishonest in another, depending on the circumstances [9]. Furthermore, according to the notion of specificity, a person acts in each scenario as he or she has been taught to act in similar situations. According to this hypothesis, the quantity of identical elements shared by the two settings determines the predictability of one's moral behaviour from one situation to the next. Knowing that a person cheated in one way on a final examination allows one to forecast what that person would do if motivated to cheat in another environment, such as a competitive game [10]. Following that, the universality hypothesis of moral behaviour was discovered, which states that people can develop an honesty personality trait and behave consistently regardless of the circumstances or condition. This hypothesis backs up the idea that for some people, honesty is a general personality trait, whereas for others, moral behaviour is largely determined by their surroundings [9].

There is much research on honesty in it different dimension [11, 12, 13, 14]. Some of this research uses self-report questionnaires and come up with valuable information on the practice of honesty among students. There is still a knowledge gap between the way students understand honesty and how they actually practice or experience honesty in school and out of school. Factors leading to certain deviant adolescent behaviours are known. However, no specific study exists to help explain the relation between such factor and student output in terms of honesty in Ghanaian S.H.S. In this range of issues which are naturally interrelated the one that is of particular interest for this study is about the way students conceptualise honesty in relation to how they practice it in and out of school. The study can help to take initial steps towards understanding the nature of the practice of honesty among S.H.S., in this case students of Assin Manso Senior High school (AMASS). The purpose of the study was to examine the knowledge base of students in the Assin Manso Senior High School in the central region of Ghana. The study was guided by a research question – how do students perceive the value of honesty?

A qualitative method was used in this 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 forty (40) 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. The main instrument for data collection was interview guide. The data collection was done using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The IPA aims to provide insight into how a particular individual, in a particular situation, interprets an event [15]. The qualitative data was analysed by the use of the interpretative technique based on the themes arrived at during the interview. The themes were related to the research question.

3.1. Students Understanding of the Value of Honesty

According to the study's findings, students perceive honesty as a state of being completely truthful. Almost every student interviewed stated that they were "truthful." As one student put it, “Honesty involves being truthful in all of your dealings and not uttering lies”. ―According to another student, “honesty entails constantly stating the truth‖. This indicates that these students view honesty as the act of always stating the truth. Their perspective of honesty is consistent with Ghanaian society's moral discourse on truth-telling. Being consistently truthful, "and not speaking lies," corroborates the principle of specificity and generality that underpins this study. According to the notion of specificity, an individual behaves in each situation in the manner in which he or she has been taught to behave in that scenario. The theory of generality supports the conclusion that for some individuals, honesty is a universal personality trait, whereas for others, moral behaviour is highly situational. In addition, the theory aids in the education of youngsters in ethics, the direction of moral judgment, and the formation of laws and social policies.

Another metric was the correlation between honesty and loyalty among pupils. According to some students, honesty is more about one's commitment to others than it is about one's beliefs. According to one student, “Honesty is an act of loyalty to me”. This approach, in my judgment, is consistent with the theory of specificity, which maintains that a person responds in each situation in accordance with the manner in which he or she has been taught to act in such circumstances. Furthermore, students view honesty as a value that benefits those who pursue it. For example, one student stated that “you earn people's trust, and when you earn their trust, you get their favour, and they may assist you whenever you need something”. Trust, like honesty, may be demonstrated to be inextricably linked to a person's character, as expressed in their commitment to keeping their word and being accountable. This is in accordance with the principle of particularity.

Additionally, SRC president define honesty as a state of being truthful and dependable. For example, SRC secretary proposed the following: and I quote, - Honesty, to me, is a concept in which someone is truthful about himself or herself, and whatever that person says, he or she means it and is aware that they are speaking the truth and not lying.” The widespread belief among teachers and students alike is that honesty is mostly about leading a true and trustworthy life. This definition of honesty corresponds earlier study on the subject of honesty [16]. The previous study defines honesty as the attribute or state of being truthful, upright, and just. (2) Sincerity, forthrightness, or candour. (3) Innocence or nonfraud. A person who is truly honest in the broadest sense is meticulous in adhering to all known truth and right, even in thought [16].

Moreover, the researchers’ findings about the perception of honesty corroborate the researcher's proposed definitions of the terms. According to the study's literature review, the researcher defined honesty as adhering to established laws and regulations, being true, trustworthy, and sincere, free of deception, cheating, and stealing, and acting with integrity in acts and actions. Also, the information corroborates previous study that honesty serves as a person's moral foundation [17]. He goes on to define honesty as being truthful in our interactions with people as well as being truthful in our statements. Individuals benefit from honesty because it promotes peace of mind. As dishonest sections of society grow increasingly fearful of this life, they lose their inner peace and are profoundly dissatisfied with their circumstances. Integrity eliminates all forms of fear and preserves the human mind's tranquillity and tranquillity. With mental stability, one can make more informed choices and so improve the quality of one's [5].

When asked about their perceptions of the notion of honesty, respondents expressed a range of viewpoints on the following topics: the value of honesty to society, school, family, and pupils. They responded as follows:

3.2. Importance of Honesty to the Society

Students are aware of the critical role that honesty plays in their lives in society, school, and family, according to the study's findings. In terms of society, the majority of students interviewed stated that honesty promotes peace. For example, one student stated, “An honest society promotes peace and prevents family strife”. Likewise, there will be no social discord‖. Another student stated, “There will be harmony in society; and there will be pleasant relationships in a society where there is honesty”. Likewise, there is a component of trust. Furthermore, ―it will result in quick growth. There will be calm, and there will almost certainly be no tolerance for anarchy; and everyone in that community will be delighted that there is freedom of movement and, maybe, almost no crime in an honest society‖ (Personal Communication).

Moreover, one of the students had the following opinion: “It contributes to the peaceful coexistence of society's members. Due to an individual's honesty in the community, others will gravitate toward him or her, who helps to diminish the prevalence of social vices such as armed robbery” (Personal Communication). This indicates that a sizeable proportion of students, regardless of their religious or political affiliation, regard honesty as a means of promoting peaceful coexistence among society's members. The belief that honesty promotes peaceful coexistence in nation building [5]. According to this work, honesty contributes to the spread of goodwill: surrounding oneself with honest individuals always results in a pleasant life brimming with positive energy. It fosters an atmosphere of positivity in your immediate vicinity. They adore them and aspire to be like them. They represent the world's goodness. Honesty is a virtue that contributes to the spread of goodwill. Another piece of information provided by a segment of students regarding the value of honesty to society is that honesty helps to avoid conflict in society. One student expressed the following to bolster the afore-mentioned view: “An honest society will avoid conflict and may also result in the resolution of disagreements and the avoidance of punishment”. “An honest society will avoid strife and will also promote peace,” another student stated.

These findings suggest to students that in a society where the majority of people are honest with one another, conflict and misunderstandings will be minimized because members will trust one another. Again, it will contribute to the improvement of society. These findings corroborate the 2017 article "The Importance of Honesty in Life," which stated that by honesty, one can contribute to making the world a better place. With an honest and pleasant attitude, you may develop a strong interpersonal relationship. Likewise, one's degree of contentment increases, and he or she lives a calm, negative-free life [5].

Furthermore, it was observed that just a minority of students believe an honest society promotes progress. As an illustration, consider the following statement made by a student: “An honest society or community develops more quickly, avoids instability, and decreases crime rates when violators are reported to the police.” A student added, expressing a similar view: “It contributes to the society's progress”. Because if everyone is honest and performs the tasks assigned to them without discrimination, the society would develop‖. Another student stated in a similar vein: “The society will develop as long as everyone is honest to one another, as long as there is unity and no conflict or disagreement among the people, all in the name of honesty.” This means that if society is honest, crime will decrease significantly, and quick progress will also increase. Further, evidence revealed that honesty promotes social justice and truthfulness. One student, for example, stated: “By calling a spade a spade, we will bring about justice and establish truthfulness in society.” This indicates that students value justice and honesty as critical components of society. This interpretation is consistent with an earlier study of Akan ethics theory, which stated that "nokware" is an Asante term for truth, faith, honesty, and probity [18]. It is composed of the terms "ano" (mouth) and "kor" (one or solitary). Thus, a man who is genuine is a monolingual individual. The individual who truly believes what they say. The warning that parents frequently offer their children when they fear they have been speaking lies demonstrates the use of this word. They say, "Ma woasem nye kor," which translates as "be consistent with your word." Consistency, truth, faith, candour, and transparency all contribute to a society's sense of fairness. The viewpoint expressed at the beginning of this paragraph is consistent with the generality theory upon which this work is founded. A society that possesses the aforementioned criteria is devoid of corruption. From the student's perspective, corruption is a cancer that wreaks havoc on both society and nation. Additionally, it is a significant issue facing our community or country. One student, for example, stated: “When there is integrity, there will be no bribery; much less corruption, in the school/society, and it will also foster family and societal unity” (Personal Communication).

3.3. Importance of Honesty to the School

Students perceive honesty as a critical instrument for improving the school's reputation, according to data from this perspective. Almost every student response begins with the phrase "raises." Consider the following statement made by a student: “Honesty elevates the school's reputation”. He continued, "The majority of students at this institution are dishonest, and it is possible that this stems from their upbringing, in which the truth is not stated. “It improves the school's reputation,” another student stated. Besides, some students stated that “it enhances the school's image and name”. According to the findings of this survey, students view honesty as a means of promoting the school's name internationally. This argument is consistent with previous study on assessment that honesty is a highly valued characteristic. When others see us to be honest, we are exalted in their sight and also experience inner delight [7]. As a result, integrity is a virtue to be cherished. Once we have decided to be honest, we will do everything possible to maintain this excellent quality. A student stated as follows in support of the preceding: ―It attracts people to AMASS because of the integrity of the students”.

In addition, evidence from the students' section indicates that academic honesty contributes to the prevention of school property destruction. According to a student, “For example, speaking the truth helps prevent students from destroying school property because if he witnesses a student destroying school property and the school administration inquires, he will name the perpetrator.”

Speaking the truth in order to avert damage is the proper thing to do, and this is consistent with an aspect of the theory of generality that suggests that while honesty is a universal personality feature for some, moral behaviour for others is highly situational. As a result, when questioned about the destruction of school property, he would readily divulge the perpetrator's identity as a witness. These findings indicate that pupils believe property destruction is a negative behaviour that should be discouraged in the educational system. This typically occurs as a result of a demonstration or the students' failure to defend the school's property (e.g. tables, chair, vehicles etc.). Data collected indicates that few students believe that honesty is critical for the school, particularly the students, because it helps avoid both exam cheating and denial. For example, one student stated:

“I am responsible for adhering to school rules and regulations and avoiding lying”. Also, I am not required to cheat on examinations or steal from co-workers” (Personal Communication). “In academics, being honest helps because when students do not cheat during class exercises, teachers are more willing to assist them when they do not comprehend a certain concept”

This demonstrates that students view honesty as a critical component of preventing academic dishonesty. A morally pure and disciplined student will not violate school policies and procedures. In addition, the study's findings reveal that students view dishonesty as an immoral behaviour that should be condemned in both the school and the wider community. Anyone who acts dishonestly should be punished in order to serve as deterrence to others. For instance, one student noted:

“When a student commits misconduct, the school authorities bring him or her to devotion and punish him or her either through demotion, if the student is a perfect; or suspension, if the student is not a school prefect; and; if a student lies to a teacher, he or she can be punished” (Personal Communication).

This fact corresponds to an article "why honesty is critical in friendships" which asserts that honesty is a critical characteristic because it is one of the ways in which others appraise a person. If a person cannot be regarded honest, he or she will not have a successful business partnership, excellent friends, or even a successful life. Honesty presupposes an unwillingness to steal or deceive in any way. It is a term that refers to decency or purity. It is a wonderful attribute that everyone admires and is critical in all relationships, including friendship [6].

3.4. Importance of Honesty to the Family

Data from the study indicate that most students perceive honesty in the family as an important value that binds the family members together. This indicates that African in general and Ghana in particular, families cherish the value of honesty because the family is the first point of call and the upbringing or training of any child. One student suggests that: “It brings the family members together”. Another student noted: “It shows how my parents brought me up”. This assertion proves that one’s background or family is questioned when it comes to moral issues because the first stage of socialisation for a child is the family. This is a typical example in the Ghanaian society, where the moral character of a person is in question. A person who behaves himself or herself, their families receives praise juxtaposing a person who misconducts himself or herself. It also indicates that one’s character is being judged by the standards of his or her family. Furthermore, the study indicates that students perceive honesty in the family as a way to determine the image of the family. One’s family name is questioned when it comes to the issue of morality in Ghana. For instance, one student said: “It carves a unique deference for one’s kindred”. The above datum is consistent with earlier study which postulates that honesty is a prized trait [7]. If we are perceived to be honest, we are somehow elevated in the eyes of others and we also feel inner happiness. Therefore, honesty is something to treasure. Once we decide that we will be honest, we will want to do all we can to preserve this admirable characteristic. What is more, a student noted: “It brings respect to my family”.

This datum from the study indicates that students perceive honesty in the family as a sign of respect to the family and this projects the image of the family in the society. Every family loves children who are respectful. A child who demonstrates respectful act in his or her character, that child’s family name is praised. If someone is not an honest person, honestly, it would be difficult to have business, personal and working relationships with others. People will even not be friendly with that person. Liars are unable to lead a good life. Some people always love the truth. They develop close relationships and greater intimacy with honest persons. They trust, believe, respect and honour them. With honesty, one finds people who are good, trustworthy, and honest, coming into their lives. The quality of one’s life is determined through the practice of honesty [5].

Moreover, a section of the students intimated that honesty in the family brings about trust and cordial relationship among the members of the family. And, in a family where a child breaks this trust, that child is punished. For instance, one student said:

“Family members trust each other and there will be a cordial relationship among them. Also, if you are not honest to your parents, they will not trust you and they cannot stand up for you because you are not truthful; but where there is cordial relationship between me and my family they will be able to tell me some things that I do not know” (Personal Communication).

This datum is consistent with literature which states that honesty is the instrument to talk with the truth and win other’s trust. A person that has won his or her friend’s trust is the one that is honest. The society, as well as it is family members, will have confidence and feel that they can rely on such a person [8]. Another student said: “My family cherishes honesty because whenever I do something wrong my mother does not cover me up; and afterwards, she will call and advise me”. In addition, one student also said: “It makes my parents believe and have trust in me and it also makes them have respect and love for me”. Data from this suggests students’ view that for family members to love, respect, trust and cherish them as such, then they have to win their trust. And they can do so by being honest and this will help in promoting goodwill around them.

From the study, it can also be found that some families abhor bad behaviour. However, a few students are of the view that being honest in the family makes the members provide their needs for them. For instance, one student said: “The members of the family like you for telling the truth; and this make them provide your needs when they see that you are truly an honest person”. Similarly, one student also shares the view that: “Anything that I need, will be provided and my family members will also love me‖. This means that Ghanaian family cherishes children who are honest and provide them their needs.

3.5. Importance of Honesty to the Student

The study's findings demonstrate how students place a high premium on honesty. Many of the students interviewed believe that it is critical for them to be honest as students since being honest attracts people. For example, one student stated, “My friends will admire me for being honest in school”. Also, another student stated, "one will gain the teachers' respect and others will gravitate toward you; this will help boost the school's learning environment”. According to the facts above, if a person is honest, he or she will attract people who admire them. This data is compatible with the study "The Importance of Honesty in Life", which asserts that honesty contributes to the spread of kindness in the world, and that surrounding oneself with honest people always results in a joyful life that is brimming with positive energy. Being truthful contributes to the positivity in your environment. Individuals admire and emulate those who are truthful. Sincere individuals serve as the world's goodwill ambassadors. One's integrity will assist him or her in fostering goodwill in their community [5]. Again, the study's findings reveal that some students believe that if they are honest, the school can rely on them when it comes to student behaviour on campus and vice versa. One student, for example, stated: “Whenever something occurs at the school, the school can rely on me”. This implies that students' honesty is critical to the school's success and contributes to their ability to earn trust. This data is consistent with the theory of specificity, which states that a person behaves in each scenario according to the way he or she has been taught to behave in that context.

The study revealed that honesty is being loyal to a colleague, covering them up and standing by them as well. The study also indicated that honesty depict “we feeling” or “solidarity”, so to them any students who does the opposite is considered to be dishonest. It is recommended that, Students who obey the school rules and regulations should be motivated by the school authorities in order to encourage the other students to do same. It is also recommended that parents and educators, should all advocate the teaching of moral values in our schools to instil in students the benefits that honest brings to them, the school, the family, community and the country as a whole.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization UA, SA and FT; methodology, UA, SA and FT; formal analysis UA, SA and FT; investigation; UA, SA and FT; Resources, UA, SA and FT; data curation UA, SA and FT; writing-original draft preparation, UA, SA and FT; writing-review and editing, UA, SA and FT ; visualisation, UA, SA and FT ; supervision UA, SA and FT; project administration, UA, SA and FT . Authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding: “This research received no external funding”

Data Availability Statement: Data is available on request from the corresponding author.

Acknowledgments: We acknowledge respondents for their time with us.

Conflicts of Interest: “The authors declare no conflict of interest.” “No funders had any role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results”.