Since 2018 MEDS has been developing children’s literature in Kurdish dialects to be used within and alongside government primary schools, to encourage a love for reading.
Sorani
The Sorani Kurdish – English story books published by MEDS have now been reprinted in a second edition. Having received Ministry of Education approval in 2021, these books continue to be used in a number of pilot schools in the Sorani speaking part of Iraqi Kurdistan, as well as being available on sale to the public at cost price.
Behdini
In October 2023 the Behdini Kurdish edition of the story books was launched and distributed through the Duhok Directorate of Education to pilot schools in the Duhok governorate. As with the Sorani edition, it is intended that their simple sentence construction will help all early readers. The Behdini Kurdish edition will be of particular help to refugee children from Syria whose mother tongue is the similar Kurmanji Kurdish. These children face extra challenges as they learn to read since their parents’ education will have been in Arabic.
Shengali
In November 2023 the Shengali edition of the books was launched and distributed through NGOs working amongst speakers of this dialect, especially the Yazidi people of the Sinjar (Shengal) area that suffered so brutally under ISIS. The books have been requested by education and community centres serving those displaced after they fled their homes in Sinjar in 2014.
Hawrami
In December 2025 the Hawrami edition of the books was launched and is part of an initiative to encourage Hawrami mother tongue writers.
The E-ktebxana e-book platform
The Ministry of Education (MOE) of the Kurdistan Region, has developed the E-ktebxana, an E-book platform, currently accessible to over 1.5 million students. The Director of Education Planning, Ministry of Education, KRG invited MEDS to contribute the Sorani and Behdini editions of the books on the E-book platform and these were made available on line in 2025.
