09/10/2026
WHAT DEPED POLICY SAYS🎒
For many Filipino families, buying a school uniform and paying for a student ID can feel like an automatic part of sending a child to public school.
But national DepEd policy says otherwise.
Under DepEd Order No. 45, s. 2008, the wearing of a school uniform shall not be required in public schools. The same order states that identification cards shall be provided to students at no cost, with the school administration funding them through its Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses or MOOE.
The policy was issued as part of DepEd’s effort to remove financial obstacles to enrollment and increase school participation.
DepEd repeated the same rules in succeeding issuances.
Under DepEd Order No. 41, s. 2012, public-school students are again not required to wear a school uniform. Students who already have uniforms may continue using them if they choose, while student IDs are to be provided at no cost and funded by the school through its MOOE.
This does not mean students may come to school in just any clothing.
DepEd Order No. 46, s. 2008 provides separate guidance on proper school attire. It says students’ clothing should be appropriate for school while also making clear that the school uniform itself is not required.
The order even provides examples of suggested attire for students who are not wearing uniforms.
The policy also did not simply disappear after 2008.
DepEd Order No. 41, s. 2012 states that its guidelines shall remain in force during succeeding school years until revised or repealed.
More recently, the uniform policy has continued to be cited in practice.
In May 2026, a DepEd Butuan City official reminded families that school uniforms are not a prerequisite for enrollment or attendance in public schools. He said learners could still attend school without a uniform as long as they were wearing decent clothing.
The rule on student IDs is similarly stated in the national guidelines. Public-school students are to be provided their ID cards at no cost, with the expense charged to the school’s MOOE.
These rules concern students. DepEd teaching and nonteaching personnel are covered by separate uniform policies.
So the distinction is important. A student may choose to wear a public school’s uniform, and proper attire may still be expected, but national DepEd policy says the uniform itself should not be a requirement for public-school learners.
For families trying to manage the cost of education, knowing what the policy actually says can make a real difference.
