New government school uniform code requires pants under skirts for girls in higher grades

The Ministry of Education has introduced new uniform regulations for government schools, mandating that girls in grade four and above must wear pants under skirts if they choose to wear skirts.  

The regulation, titled “Uniform Rules for Government School Students”, was issued on Wednesday and will take effect from the 2027 academic year. The ministry says the changes are aimed at standardizing school uniforms in specific colors, with official drawings of the designs already released.  

 Key changes in the rules

• Nursery to grade 3: Girls may wear skirts without pants.  

• Grade 4 and above (non‑hijab): Skirts must be worn with pants underneath; shirts may be short or long.  

• Hijab‑wearing students: May choose skirts or pants. If opting for pants only, shirts must not be tucked in and should extend 2 - 4 inches below the hips.  

• Skirt requirements: Two inches below the knee, with box pleats and two folds on each side.  

• Activity uniforms: Black or navy tracksuits without designs; girls wearing skirts must also wear pants or tracksuits underneath (except Key Stage One).  

 Colors and accessories

• Shirts: White, sky blue, tea green, or light red.  

• Bottoms: Black or navy blue, as specified by each school.  

• Hijabs: Navy blue, royal green, dark red, or white.  

• Activity T‑shirts: Blue, green, red, or school colors; bottoms must be black.  

• Ties: Optional for Key Stage Three and Four, mandatory for Key Stage Five and above; may be in school colors, blue, green, or red, with the badge attached.  

• Shoes and belts: Black shoes with official uniforms; sports shoes allowed with activity uniforms. All students must wear plain black belts and socks.  

The ministry said the uniforms were designed for comfort and ease of movement, despite the additional clothing layers required for girls opting to wear skirts in the Maldives’ humid climate. It also emphasized that the changes were made to ensure parents have easy access to uniforms and to align colors with the national flag and ministry branding.