Abstract:
The drive of this study was to assess how students and graduates of the Bachelor of Education (Accounting) programme in the University of Cape Coast are prepared for the world of work. The study adopted the mixed-methods sequential explanatory design in which data were gathered within the framework of the CIPP evaluation model. A sample size of 350 students, 250 graduates and 250 employers participated in the study. The multi-stage sampling technique, utilising the stratified, proportionate, and simple random sampling techniques, were used in selecting the students for the study. The graduates and their employers were sampled using snowball sampling techniques. A questionnaire, semi-structured interview guide, appraisal scale and observation guide were used as data collection instruments. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviation), inferential statistics (independent-samples t-test and ANOVA) and thematic analysis were used to analyse all the research questions. The study found that the programme meets the students’ needs. However, it was found that the human and material resources of the programme failed to meet its consumers’ needs and the programme as a whole. It was also noticed that the programme had a positive influence on the work performance of the graduates. The study recommended that the programme designers must include courses that will expose students to the use of present-day accounting software used in Ghana such as QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Tally accounting, among others and the head of the department must ensure that the quality of resources and their adequacy for students and lecturers are strengthened, as failure to do this, may pose a threat to future implementation of the programme.
