Wearing school uniforms will not be a "strict requirement" for public schools in the upcoming School Year 2022-2023, Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte said Monday.
In a statement, Duterte cited reasons one of which is to avoid "incurring additional costs to the families of our learners."
"Even before the pandemic, it is not a strict requirement for public schools to wear uniforms (DepEd Order No. 065, s. 2010) to avoid incurring additional costs to the families of our learners," the Vice President said.
"All the more that it will not be required this School Year given the increasing prices and economic losses due to the pandemic," she added.
Earlier, the department announced that classes for the upcoming school year will begin on August 2, 2022, and will end on July 7, 2023.
DepEd also pushed for the full return of face-to-face classes slated on November 2, 2022.
