The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday said students in the basic education level are not required to use their school uniforms in "any distance learning approaches that they will participate in for School Year 2020-2021.”
DepEd noted that even before the pandemic, wearing uniforms “is not a strict requirement for public schools” as cited in DepEd Order No. 065, s. 2010 or the General Guidelines on the Opening of Classes, Including Collection of School Contributions, Enrolment, Student Uniforms and Release of MOOE to “avoid incurring additional cost to the families of our learners.”
“With face-to-face classes prohibited, learners are welcome to wear their most comfortable and appropriate clothes while learning at the safe confines of their homes,” DepEd said.
As the country grapples with COVID-19 situation in the country, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said that the school opening on August 24 will push through. The school opening this year was delayed for three months due to the disruptions brought by COVID-19.
Briones, in an online press conference on August 10, said that since DepEd will be using a blended/distance learning approach, the school opening schedule will proceed to ensure that “Filipino learners will not be left behind.”
Schools, depending on their capacity, will implement blended/distance learning wherein the combination of the various distance learning modalities - such as printed modules, offline digital modules, online, and TV and Radio-based instruction - will be used by students and teachers when classes officially start.
DepEd enrollment data as of August 10 showed that there are 23.01 million students enrolled for the upcoming school year. Of this number, 21.4 million students enrolled in public schools and 1.53 million in private schools.