claimed yesterday.

Bermuda Union of Teachers general secretary Sen. Milton Scott said: "The Government is guilty of discriminatory practices -- it is illegal to do that in this country.'' He said some overseas teachers recruited to teach in Bermuda's schools were given assistance with finding and paying for accommodation and others were not.

"That is discriminatory. If one gets a housing allowance, all should get a housing allowance,'' said Mr. Scott.

He was speaking after The Royal Gazette revealed yesterday that five overseas teachers were quitting their posts after less than four months on the Island.

Mr. Scott said the BUT was representing all five -- plus another teacher who left earlier.

Some of the teachers, members of the English National Union of Teachers, have also asked that union to take up their case.

Mr. Scott said: "When these teachers were recruited, certain promises were made by the Ministry of Education and that is the area which is in dispute.

"I know what the terms and conditions of teachers coming here are, so I can easily argue on this.'' But he added the Education Ministry should honour any promises made to the teachers -- even if they were technically outside the contract as it stood.

Mr. Scott said: "If a promise was made, there is a moral obligation to keep it, even if it falls out with the terms under which the Ministry functions.'' One of the five who have broken their contracts, Whitney Institute music teacher Mr. Gareth Balch, said he was quitting because of "complete mismanagement'' by education authorities.

Mr. Balch was the victim of an assault by a problem pupil at the school last month, but insisted that had played no part in his resignation.

And in an open letter to Education Minister Jerome Dill, he said the five were leaving because Bermuda's schools were "the worst they had all taught in''.

Mr. Balch's letter added: "I've seen better-resourced schools in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Thailand and schools in Chinese provinces have more computers.'' Among Mr. Balch's complaints are that he was told by education department official Mr. Ray Latter on November 14 that there was no rent subsidy available.

But Mr. Balch produced a document from the Ministry of Works and Engineering, which handles housing for Government employees, given to another teacher and dated September 1 -- the same month Mr. Balch arrived -- giving him a $250 a month subsidy on a rental of $1000 a month.

Mr. Balch's airline tickets from the UK to Bermuda also failed to arrive, leaving him to pay the fares for himself and wife Michelle, although he later received $3500 cash compensation for flights, medical costs and baggage charges.

And in separate incidents, his baggage and X-rays were lost for a month before they were discovered in Bermuda. It later transpired Customs officials had told education officials the luggage had been found, but nobody passed the message on to Mr. Balch.

Since he quit, Education Ministry chiefs have told him the $3500 will be deducted from his final salary because he broke his contract -- even though Mr. Balch has never seen a copy of, or been asked to sign, a contract of employment.

Mr. Balch has now threatened to sue the Government if any attempt is made to dock his salary.

He also claimed he had been told his wife would have "no problem'' finding a secretarial post on the Island, but she had been unable to find a job.

Mr. Balch further claimed that he had not been told of a decision to place special needs children in secondary schools, meaning more than 20 pupils, many with severe behavioural problems, had been sent to the Whitney Institute.

Mr. Scott said that there were far too many people involved in recruiting and not all of them knew enough about the subject.

He added: "If we had just one individual dealing with it, you would get a greater degree of accountability.

"Major errors have been made -- and people need to clearly understand the terms and conditions they will work under when they come to Bermuda.

"The Education Department should tighten up its recruiting policy and stop making false promises it can't deliver.'' Education department official Mr. Ray Latter said he disputed some of the claims made by Mr. Balch and that false promises were made.

But he added: "There were mistakes made and I am investigating them to see who was responsible.'' Education Minister Jerome Dill was not available for comment.

But Shadow Education Minister Ms Jennifer Smith demanded an immediate inquiry.

She said: "What I found most astounding was that people recruited on contract never signed a contract or even saw one.

"Surely somebody is guilty of not doing their job in a professional manner -- I don't see how that could be dismissed as a minor mistake. It certainly seems a level of incompetence was demonstrated in this case.

"There is enough in this particular situation to warrant, one would think, an investigation of job responsibility and accountability.''