To : Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau/Center/Service Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Chief of Divisions

While the general policy is that the wearing of a school uniform shall not be required in public schools (as embodied in DepEd Order No. 45 s. 2008), it is necessary to provide guidance on what constitutes proper school attire. The following principles should serve as a guide:

1. A student’s basic right to go to school, study and learn is of paramount importance and should be respected and promoted at all times.
2. A student’s attire should reflect respect for the school as an institution for learning.
3. A student’s attire should not become a cause for discrimination particularly for students belonging to a lower socio-economic status.
4. Promoting physical hygiene and proper school decorum is part of the teaching- learning process in schools, thus a student’s attire and physical appearance should manifest learnings from this process.

Given the above principles, the suggested attire for elementary and secondary students
may be:
For Boys – Polo shirt/T-shirt with sleeves – any plain color, with a minimum of prints
Pants (long or short) – any color
Footwear – any
For Girls – Dress, skirt and blouse, blouse and pants – any color, any print Footwear-any

For students with existing uniforms, they can still continue wearing them, if they so desire.

Students are discouraged from wearing expensive (signature or designer brands) or flashy clothes, tight-fitting pants/blouses/dresses, mini-skirts, short shorts, blouses with plunging necklines, hip-hop pants for boys, and sleepwear.

For immediate dissemination and strict compliance.

Reference: DepED Order: (No. 45, s. 2008)
Allotment: 1—(D. O. 50-97)
To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
POLICY
PUPILS
SCHOOLS
STUDENTS UNIFORMS

DO_s2008_046