MANILA — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said Thursday it was developing radio programs that would help teach science to learners in far-flung areas as in-person classes remain suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Josette Biyo, director of the DOST's Science Education Institute, said they have been in talks with the Department of Education for the development of the programs Radyo Eskwela for elementary learners and Tuklas Siyensya for high school students.

"May dalawa kaming dine-develop na program. Tapping our DOST scholars, science experts and network of universities, nagde-develop kami ngayon ng scripts," Biyo said during a Senate hearing.

(We are developing 2 programs. Tapping our DOST scholars, science experts and network of universities, we are developing scripts.)

"Gusto nating ma-reach 'yong mga pinakaliblib na pook," she said.

(We want to reach far-flung areas.)

The DOST has prepared scripts for radio programs from August to December, Biyo said.

Biyo said the lessons would be developed "in a manner which is readily understood by children."

The DOST has also developed 132 self-learning modules on math and science for Grades 1 to 8, which have been uploaded on DepEd's learning platform, Biyo said.

• Access to online study platform free of data charges: DepEd

Biyo said the DOST has also developed science and math lessons for Grades 9 to 10 but these have yet to be "digitized" due to budget constraints.

"Pero hanapan namin ng paraan na ma-fast track [ang digitization] and we will also present these to DepEd as supplementary materials for their use," she said.

(We will find a way to fast track the digitization and we will also present these to DepEd as supplementary materials for their use.)

The DepEd plans to use television and radio to deliver lessons in the coming school year, scheduled to start on August 24, after in-person classes were prohibited due to the spread of COVID-19.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said he was eyeing the procurement of transistor radios that will be distributed to far-flung areas of the country to help poor students cope with the education department's shift to blended learning.

• Briones: DepEd to tap TV, radio for education amid pandemic