Types of Education

Education extends beyond what occurs within the four walls of the classroom. On the basis of these factors, a child receives education from his experiences outside of school as well as those within. Formal, Informal, and Non-formal education are the three main types of education. Each of these types is described briefly below.

FORMAL EDUCATION

Formal education or formal learning typically occurs within the confines of a school, where a person can learn basic, academic, or trade skills.
Small children are frequently enrolled in a nursery or kindergarten, but formal education typically begins in elementary school and continues through secondary school.

Post-secondary education (or higher education) is typically obtained at a college or university, where an academic degree may be obtained.
It is linked to a specific or stage and is provided in accordance with a set of rules and regulations.
Formal education is provided by specially trained teachers who are expected to be skilled in the art of instruction.

It also maintains strict discipline.
The student and the teacher both are aware of the facts and engage themselves in the process of education.

EXAMPLES OF FORMAL EDUCATION

Classroom education

Grading/certification in schools,
college and university degrees
Planned education in various subjects with a proper syllabus obtained by attending the institution.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FORMAL EDUCATION

Formal education is organized in a hierarchical manner.
It is deliberate and planned.
Scheduled fees are paid on a regular basis.

It has a grading system that is based on chronological order.
It has a curriculum and is subject-oriented.
The syllabus must be completed within a specific time frame.

The teachers instruct the child.

INFORMAL EDUCATION

Informal education can include a parent teaching a child how to cook or ride a bicycle.
People can also obtain an informal education by reading a large number of books from a library or visiting educational websites.

Informal education is when you do not attend school and do not use a specific learning method.
Conscious efforts are not required in this type of education.
It is not premeditated or deliberate.

It can be learned in a market, a hotel, or at home.
Informal education, unlike formal education, is not provided by a formal institution such as a school or college.
Informal education is not delivered on a set schedule.

There is no set curriculum that must be followed.

EXAMPLES OF INFORMAL EDUCATION

Educating the child on fundamentals such as numeric characters.
Someone who is learning his or her mother tongue

A spontaneous type of learning occurs “when a person standing in a bank learns about opening and maintaining a bank account from someone.”

CHARACTERISTICS OF INFORMAL EDUCATION

It is unaffected by boundary walls.
It does not have a set curriculum.

It is not pre-planned and has no set timeline.
There are no fees because we get our informal education through daily experience and learning new things.
In a natural way, it is a lifelong process.

There are no certificates/degrees involved, and there is no pressure to learn new things.
You can get it from any source, including media, life experiences, friends, family, and so on.

NON-FORMAL EDUCATION

Adult basic education, adult literacy education, and school equivalency preparation are examples of non-formal education.

Someone who is not in school can learn literacy, other basic skills, or job skills through nonformal education.
Other options include home education, individualized instruction (such as programmed learning), distance learning, and computer-assisted instruction.
Non-formal education is implemented consciously, deliberately, and systematically.

It should be designed for a single, homogeneous group. Education, whether formal or informal, should be designed to meet the needs of the identified group.
This will necessitate flexibility in the design of the curriculum as well as the evaluation scheme.

EXAMPLES OF NONFORMAL EDUCATION

Boy Scouts and Girl Guides develop sports programmes such as swimming, which fall under the category of nonformal education.

Exercise routines
Adult education classes in the community Some organizations have created free adult education courses.

CHARACTERISTICS OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATION

Nonformal education is organized and takes place outside of the school system.

The timetable and syllabus can be changed.
It is practical and vocational education, as opposed to theoretical formal education.
There is no age limit for nonformal education.

Fees and certificates may or may not be required.
It can be full-time or part-time learning, and one can earn and learn at the same time.
It entails the acquisition of professional skills.