Cognitive Abilities and Employee Withdrawal Behaviour in Public Secondary Schools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

This study examined the relationship between cognitive abilities and employee withdrawal behaviour 
among teachers in public secondary schools in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional correlational 
survey design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprised 3,946 teachers in public 
secondary schools in Bayelsa State. A sample size of 363 was drawn using the Taro Yamane formula, and 
a systematic sampling technique was adopted. Data were collected from respondents using a structured 
questionnaire. Content validity was used to validate the measurement scales, while the reliability of the 
instrument was determined using Cronbach’s alpha. A total of 326 completed questionnaires were retrieved 
and used for analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed. Descriptive statistics included 
means, standard deviations, and frequency tables, while inferential analysis utilised the Pearson product
moment correlation coefficient to test the strength of relationships between variables at the 0.05 level of 
significance. The findings revealed a significant inverse relationship between cognitive abilities and 
withdrawal behaviour among public secondary school teachers. This implies that teachers with higher 
levels of cognitive abilities—such as quantitative, verbal, and reasoning abilities are less likely to engage 
in withdrawal behaviours, including absenteeism, cyberloafing, and intention to leave. The results suggest 
that cognitively competent teachers are better equipped to manage instructional challenges, classroom 
demands, and organisational pressures. Conversely, teachers with lower cognitive abilities may experience 
difficulties coping with work-related challenges, leading to frustration, reduced motivation, and increased 
withdrawal tendencies. Therefore, school administrators and education authorities should recognise the 
importance of cognitive abilities in reducing teacher withdrawal behaviour. Recruitment and placement 
processes should emphasise competency-based assessments to ensure that teachers possess the cognitive 
skills required to meet the demands of modern secondary education.