Formal versus nonformal education

Formal versus nonformal education

Introduction
	There is a continuing debate in some circles about the relative merits of formal and nonformal education. This debate may impact your work in a literacy program.

Definitions
	As normally used, the term formal education refers to the structured educational system provided by the state for children. In most countries, the formal education system is state-supported and state-operated. In some countries, the state allows and certifies private systems which provide a comparable education.
	In contrast, nonformal education refers to education which takes place outside of the formally organized school. Most typically, the term or phrase nonformal education is used to refer to adult literacy and continuing education for adults.
	This education is called nonformal because:
	it is not compulsory it does not lead to a formal certification, and it may or may not be state-supported.

Discussion

The most compelling policy issue in terms of formal verses nonformal education is that of cost effectiveness.

On the one hand are those, such as the World Bank, who argue that priority should go to formal education. In this way, in a generation or two, illiteracy will be wiped out.

On the other hand are those who say that putting a focus on formal education when there is a high percentage of adult illiteracy

creates enormous familial and social dysfunction
reduces parental support for education in general and parental ability to support the educational process in particular, and
causes long-term economic problems by educating children for work and roles which do not exist.

A strong focus on formal education assumes that such education will be successful. Evidence to date suggests that this is a mistaken assumption.

Conversely, a strong focus on adult education or literacy assumes that literate parents will insist that their children go to school and become literate. There is some evidence for this assumption. However, parents make decisions about schooling based on various factors, including economics. When local, regional, or national economic conditions are not good, parents, even literate parents, may resist sending their children to school. When this happens, the problem of literacy becomes a structural part of the country and becomes difficult to eradicate.

Conclusion
	It seems probable that a more balanced approach or model for formal versus nonformal education will need to be developed by educational theorists. This model will have to include sound economic constructs as well as educational constructs.

Context for this page:

Fact module: Formal versus nonformal education
In overview module: Background issues in literacy, by Stephen L. Walter
In modular book: Prepare for a literacy program, by Stephen L. Walter, Mary Morgan, and Leah B. Walter
In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 1 October 1999