Foreign teachers at Saltus Grammar School have been asked to move out of their subsidised housing at the end of the current school year and this has caused some anxiety, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

And sources suggest that there could be an exodus of at least 14 teachers from the school.

One source who asked that their name not be used, said that the changes in teachers' living arrangements were a consequence of the school running into financial difficulty after recent renovations.

However, Mr. Trevor Rowell headmaster at the school said such allegations about the school's finances were untrue.

"That's real nonsense,'' he said. "I promise you that this is a flourishing school that is very well managed.

"The sale of some of the properties is certainly being considered by the trustees,'' he continued. "But not for reasons of financial difficulty. We are just trying to make sure that the resources that the school has are invested wisely.'' Mr. Rowell said that any obligations to any teachers at the school will be honoured and there was no intention to penalise anyone who is currently living in apartments that the school owns.

"The school owns several properties,'' he added. "But since Saltus purchased those properties things have changed.

"The large numbers of teachers that used to come out of the United Kingdom has been reduced significantly.

"It's now the case that we are approaching a situation where the majority of the staff here are Bermudians or spouses of Bermudians.

"A few years ago that definitely was not the case. We had a large number of teachers coming out of the United Kingdom for whom the school had to find accommodation.'' Mr. Rowell said that local talent is now being employed in larger numbers than ever before in the past which means that there are fewer foreign teachers being hired.

Consequently, there is an ever-decreasing need for the apartments the school owns. The school employs 78 teachers of whom half are either Bermudians or spouses of Bermudians.

Only two out of every 10 teachers live in school-owned apartments which means that eight live in either their own homes or pay rent at private sector prices.

"It is entirely proper for the trustees to look at where the balance of its resources is being employed,'' he said.

"Instead of putting so much of our resources in real estate, it is obviously more sensible for the trustees to consider deploying some of those resources toward further developing the school. "It is a sensible strategic review. It has nothing to do with financial straits.'' Mr. Rowell said that the newer teachers were told about the developments and those that require it are being given very generous assistance.

"Inevitably there will be some inconvenience for people now living in school accommodation who now have to find alternative arrangements next year,'' he conceded. "But it is now October and we are talking about the next academic year which starts in September. That is very long notice.''