The Ulster Teachers' Union has agreed with the Council for Ethnic Minorities a strategy to tackle racism in Northern Ireland primary schools.
At the opening of the union's annual conference in Newcastle, Co Down, yesterday UTU president Rosemary Barton announced guidelines to be given to 6,500 members.
The union felt that teachers needed more support from the Department of Education, she said, to tackle any possible racist behaviour before it can become an issue in schools.
"While Northern Ireland may in the past have seen issues relating to race as less important than other issues, there is evidence that this is changing, prompted by a growing number of racially motivated incidents," Ms Barton said.
"For that reason, and also because we are aware of a growing number of pupils from racially diverse backgrounds, we approached the Council for Ethnic Minorities to assist us in the development of guidelines which we will launch at conference.
"We have isolated different areas which we feel need urgent attention, and will be working with the department of education, the Council for Ethnic Minorities and with the Equality Commission to ensure that our children learn that racism is wrong from an early age."
Mr Patrick Yu, of the Council for Ethnic Minorities, said: "There is no statutory obligation on the education and library boards to provide teachers with the support and training they require to provide children from ethnic backgrounds with the same chances as other children."