Ministry of Education has shared with schools the uniform policy and proposed new designs for official and activity uniforms from 2027 onwards.
The government has announced that after granting a one year period for schools to prepare, uniforms across all government schools will be changed to one of four colour options. The four colours are red, green and white, as on the Maldivian national flag, and the Education Ministry's colour, blue.
Schools can choose to have the uniform shirts in a colour of their choosing from among these four options. Pants or skirts must be black or blue.
Those who wear the hijab are given two options. One is to to wear a hijab in a darker shade of the colour of the uniform, such as navy blue, royal green, dark red or white. The other option is wear a hijab in the colour of the skirt or pants (black or blue).
Activity uniforms can be in red, green, blue or the colour the school opts for. The pants or skirts worn with the activity uniform must be black.
Students at Foundation, Key Stages 1 and 2 must have the school badge affixed on their uniform shirt pockets. Schools are given the prerogative to decide whether neck ties are mandatory for students in Key Stages 3 and 4. However, students in Key Stage 5 are required to wear ties as part of their uniform.
Under the policy, schools must select ties in red, blue, or green, with the school badge displayed on them.
Boys at Foundation and Key Stage 1 should wear shorts that come below their knees, while girls must wear skirts or long pants. Girls can choose to wear pants under their skirts as well.
All girls must wear short- or long-sleeved shirts which extend 2-4 inches below the hip.
Girls in higher grades than these two who opt to wear skirts must wear pants underneath the skirts. The skirt's length must be 2 inches below the knee. Two pleats must be taken on the sides, at the back and front of the skirt, which are 2 inches in width. In the centre, there must be box pleats.
Girls who opt to wear pants cannot tuck in their shirts. The option of tucking in is only for those who wear skirts.
As per the policy, there will be no changes to the uniform even if a student is selected as a school prefect. Instead, prefects will be required to wear a tie with their uniforms.
Schools can opt to use a suit with the uniform for school captains, deputy captains, activity captains and deputy activity captains. Students in other leadership positions can use a sash.
Students of all grades are to use plain black belts, with no design. Students are required to wear black shoes with official uniform. With the activity uniform, students can wear either sports shoes or black school shoes.
If short-sleeved, activity uniforms must have a collar. The length of the t-shirts need to be up to the wearer's wrist when standing upright. T-shirts should be in jersey material or pique fabric. T-shirts are required to display the school badge on the front left side, and the school's name at the upper back.
Long-sleeved activity uniforms must bear the badge on the front right, and the school's name on the lower back, around the hips.
If choosing to wear skirts with the activity uniform, the skirts must have 3-inch pleats. The skirt should reach the knees, and should have no logos or designs. If choosing to wear skirts, all students above Key Stage 1 are required to wear pants or tracksuits under the skirts.
The circular sent to schools states that the ministry made the decision to change school uniforms after extensive deliberations with senior school officials.
