In a bid to to provide its students with positive male role models, the Bermuda Institute has hired four male teachers, increasing the number of male teachers at the private school to 11.

The school?s public relations officer, Frigga Simmons, said this week that all but four of the male teachers are Bermudian and two are alumni of the Institute.

?We have been trying to encourage positive male role models over the past few years at the school with various programmes and hiring additional male teachers seemed like the next logical step,? she said.

Ms Simmons said the Bermuda Institute organises the 100 Men on Campus programme every February ? on the 100th day of school ? when students bring a male role model to school for the day.

She said most of the time the students brought their fathers, uncles or grandfathers who either attended classes for the day with the students or offered workshops and even taught a classes.

?The first year we had over a 100 men on campus participating in the programme and as soon as the 100th man arrives he is presented with a prize,? she said.

Ms Simmons said the day starts with a special chapel exercise in the morning when students put on skits for the student body representing male role models who have impacted on society.

Ms Simmons said that many of the students were being brought up in single parent homes and most of the time were raised by their mothers.

?We focus on male role models because most of our students don?t have fathers living at home,? she said.

Besides the 100 Men on Campus programme, the school last year introduced the Talented Tenth programme.

Male teachers at the school identify young male students who are ?at risk? to participate in the programme.

She said this meant they had the potential to succeed, but might not be on the ?right path? and lacked strong male role models at home.

The programme runs throughout the year and every spring the talented ten young men are presented to the school.

?They wear suits for the day and it makes a big impact, not only on them, but also on their fellow students,? she said.

Last year one of the students told her he ?felt different? wearing a suit and his friends treated him differently ? in a good way.

?We just highlight the potential that?s already there,? she said.

She said many young men at the school wanted to belong to this ?exclusive club?.

?When students normally get honoured it?s usually because they have high grades or are good at something like music. But with this programme, any young man can go through the selection process ? something that will have a positive impact on his life,? she said.

While no study has been done on the 100 Men on Campus programme, Ms Simmons said the school did notice a trend where more men were taking an active role in their son?s studies and attended meetings, concerts and other student activities at the school.

?Dads want to be a part of it now and in this way we are promoting the whole idea of a complete family,? she said.

The Bermuda Institute said its large contingent of male teachers follows a proposal by Education and Development Minister Terry Lister, who last month said male teachers will be hired over female teachers in coming years.