DepEd: Slippers okay if pupil can’t afford shoes

Wearing of slippers is allowed by the Department of Education if the student cannot afford to buy shoes to wear to school.

But wearing of printed shirts is prohibited as students are required to wear proper school attire to show respect for the school as an institution for learning.

DepEd Regional Director Carolino Mordeno said that DepEd has issued guidelines of the wearing of proper school attire to tell students that even if the wearing of school uniforms has been scrapped, they still have to wear decent attire in school.

According to the DepEd order, boys should wear plain polo shirts with sleeves but pants and footwear can be of any type.

For girls, dress, skirt, blouse and pants of any color is allowed.

“Kung pobre gyud ug walay ikapalit nga sapatos mahimo ra nga pasudlon ang bata.  Mao ni ang purpose para gi-abolish ang school uniform kay para sa mga pobre gyud ni,” Mordeno added.

He said that he will also be calling the attention of schools that do not allow students to enter the school if they are wearing slippers. 

Mordeno also clarified that the order of scrapping the wearing of school uniforms also applies to public high schools.

"If they have already bought their uniforms, they can wear them. Besides, uniforms last long," he said.

Last June 5, President Gloria Arroyo ordered DepEd to allow incoming Grade 1 pupils from poor families to attend school even without the proper uniform.

Arroyo said she had learned that some students cannot enter Grade 1 because their parents cannot afford to buy them the required uniforms.

She said what is important is that the students get a decent education. –Jasmin R. Uy/BRP