of relief that common sense prevailed and classes resumed in public schools today.

The industrial dispute, which yesterday escalated to some 600 teachers refusing to turn up for class at all Government schools except two, will go to voluntary arbitration.

Both sides welcomed the move, particularly in light of the thousands of students who have missed two days of lessons.

But there are still many questions left unanswered, such as: Why was a basic issue such as teachers' hours unable to be worked out years ago? Why, after five hours of talks on Tuesday, was voluntary arbitration not offered to teachers before the Labour Disputes Tribunal referred the matter to binding arbitration? And more importantly, as United Bermuda Party Labour Affairs spokesman Michael Dunkley has pointed out, why did Education Minister Milton Scott -- a former general secretary of the Bermuda Union of Teachers -- not make addressing teachers' concerns a main priority when he took on the education portfolio? Mr. Dunkley has gone as far as calling for Sen. Scott's resignation over the matter.

And while this may be a little over the top, it is not the first time that the former trade unionist has drawn criticism for his decision making.

Last month, Marlene Bean -- the mother of CedarBridge Academy's former student government president Jonakia Bean -- called for Sen. Scott to publicly apologise for his Ministry's administering of full-tuition Bermuda College scholarships for senior school students.

In August, Sen. Scott found himself in hot water again over comments he made during the last sitting of the Upper House.

Opposition Sen. Kim Swan called for an apology from the Government Senate Leader who suggested that the three independent senators be replaced after they voted with the Opposition to block a Government bid to allow middle managers to join the same union as their blue-collar workers, and to axe an amendment to remove exemption from rent control for houses built after mid-1983.

Sen. Swan called Sen. Scott's statements "detrimental to good goverance''.

And in this latest dispute, it appears that Sen. Scott has also lost the respect of some of his former teaching colleagues.

BUT general secretary Michael Charles has criticised Sen. Scott's conduct, saying the Minister was well aware of teachers' problems and should have placed them high on his agenda.

"Teachers expect something more than that from Government,'' he said.

And one teacher has gone a step further and has accused Sen. Scott of forgetting "where he came from''.

But Sen. Scott has defended his position.

He has pointed out that he was not present at Tuesday's talks between education and union officials.

He has also noted that the present Government inherited the problems in the public school system, adding that "there will always be glitches in the public education system''.

"It's one of the most contentious things world wide,'' Sen. Scott is quoted as stating.

And given that he is right, one cannot help but wonder why Sen. Scott did not see fit to address teachers' grievances before they reached the boiling point of disrupting students' education.