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Teacher with Syrian roots: A success story in Wittenberge!
Discover how Entisar Karkokli, a teacher of Syrian origin, completed her knowledge at the University of Potsdam and teaches in Germany.
Teacher with Syrian roots: A success story in Wittenberge!
On June 17, 2025, an impressive story about education and integration came to light from Wittenberge, Germany. Entisar Karkokli, a teacher of Syrian origin, has made extraordinary progress in her profession after fleeing to Germany in 2015. She now teaches fourth grade and uses innovative methods, such as colorful plastic cards with coloring activities, to make learning easier for her students. Their careers reflect both the challenges and successes of refugee teachers.
Before her escape, Karkokli was already working as a teacher in Syria, where she completed her teaching degree. After arriving in Germany, she began a qualification program for refugee teachers at the University of Potsdam. There she managed to improve her language level from zero to B2 in just three semesters. This achievement is particularly remarkable because many refugee teachers have to overcome similar challenges.
Hurdles and successes in the education sector
Karkokli worked as an assistant teacher at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn elementary school, which teaches many refugee children. In this position she formed a strong team with a Syrian colleague and a specialist in German as a second language. But after two years as an assistant teacher, financial support was cut. Karkokli therefore had to work as a teaching assistant in order to obtain a permanent position.
In order to obtain the necessary qualifications, she was forced to increase her language level to C1 and attend additional pedagogical seminars. This effort paid off: in 2021 she finally took over a fourth class and quickly gained the trust of parents and students. Her commitment was also evident in supporting her students in the transition to secondary schools.
In spring 2025, Karkokli was the first graduate of the Refugee Teachers Program at the University of Potsdam to be awarded a certificate from a civil servant of the Federal Republic of Germany. This milestone not only marked her personal success, but also the positive influence that refugee teachers can have in the German education system. Today she is a proud German citizen.
Global perspectives in teaching
These materials encourage students to change perspectives and research information independently. This is an important step in education as it enables learners to actively engage with current social issues.
The discussion about education in the context of flight and migration was also discussed in the newly published book “ Education in the context of flight and migration: Subject-related and power-critical perspectives ", edited by Bettina Fritzsche and others. The work, which was published by transcript Verlag in Bielefeld, offers deeper insights into the challenges that refugees face in the education system.
Entisar Karkokli's experiences and the comprehensive teaching materials are examples of how important integration and an adapted educational infrastructure are in order to improve the opportunities for refugees in Germany.