A BLACKBURN teacher who is believed to be her union's first Asian president has spoken of her desire to encourage more ethnic recruits.

In her opening speech at the union's annual meeting, Usma Hussain, a Year Three teacher at Audley Junior School, Blackburn, said she hoped her appointment showed Asian people could make a success of teaching.

Speaking on the back of figures uncovered by the Evening Telegraph which revealed only three per cent of the borough's teachers and less than one per cent of all Lancashire's teachers are Asian, despite high numbers of Asian children, Ms Hussain, 24, said: "I am still keen to see more young teachers making a difference.

"Especially those like me who are from the ethnic minorities and are under-represented.

"It is only when you get involved that you begin to realise just how important the NUT is for teachers."

Ms Hussain, who lives in Clitheroe, said she would use her position to highlight concerns the union has.

These include Teaching and Learning Respons-ibilities (TLR) payments introduced this year in place of management allowances.

The union and some East Lancashire heads are opposed to them as they fail to recognise administrative duties and in certain cases mean teachers get less money.

She also echoed the union's fears that government reforms which include the creation of Trust Schools which control their own budget and admissions were a return to selective education.

"These reforms are going to lead to selection and segregation; this is something we definitely want to avoid.

She added: "TLRs are another issue which dominate meetings. We must ensure that we continue to show our disapproval and support colleagues who face pay cuts."

She added: "I am very proud to take on this role and hopefully I will be a good role model to encourage more people from ethnic minorities to get involved with the union and in the teaching profession generally."

Simon Jones, executive member of the NUT Lancashire and secretary of Blackburn and Darwen branch said he was delighted at Usma's installation.

"It is great to have such a young, passionate teacher taking up the role with a willingness to represent our 1,000-plus members and tackle head-on the issues that concern us in what will be a very challenging year for teachers through things like the White Paper and TLRs.

"We also have a long history of promoting anti-racism within schools and having Usma as president will help enhance these aims further."

A spokeswoman for the NUT said: "We believe she is the first Asian in the country to be branch president."

Ms Hussain replaces outgoing president Paul Hogan a part-time teacher at St Wilfrid's High School and Technology College, Blackburn.