Formal education refers to organized, structured learning that takes place in educational institutions and leads to qualifications or certifications. In Pakistan, the formal education system includes primary, middle, secondary, higher secondary, and degree levels. Non-formal education takes place outside of formal institutions, is more flexible and learner-centered, and does not necessarily lead to qualifications. It plays an important role in educating rural and poor populations in Pakistan. Informal education refers to unintentional learning from daily life experiences related to work, family, or leisure, and does not lead to certification. It involves spontaneous conversation and exploration of experiences.

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Comparison between Formal, Non Formal &
Informal Education
1. FormalEducation
Formal learning is associated with an educational institution (or workplace) which offers
instruction programme and is intentional from the learner’s perspective. Formal learning is
always recognized in a certificate or qualification.
Formal Learning typically provided by an education or training institution, structured and
leading to certification.
1.1 Formal education system in Pakistan
The formal education system consists of educational institutions, textbooks, teachers,
examinations, certificate and degrees. The government of Pakistan is divided into the following
stages or categories.
 Primary Stage: It is from class 1 to 5. It has duration of 5 years. Children of 4-5 years
take admission in class 1.
 Middle Stage: It is from class 6 to 8. It has duration of 3 years. Children who have passed
the primary take admission in class 6.
 Secondary stage: It is from class 9 to 10. It has duration of 2 years. The secondary board
issues SSC certificate on passing the secondary exam.
 Higher Secondary Stage: It is from class 11 to 12. It has duration of two years. The
higher secondary board issues HSC certificate on passing the higher secondary exam.
 Degree Level: The students after passing the higher secondary exams can get admission
in a college for a degree course. It has duration of 3 years now.

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2. Non-formal Education
Non-formal Education (NFE) is any organized educational activity that takes place outside the
formal educational system. Usually it is flexible, learner-centered, contextualized and uses a
participatory approach
Non-formal learning is achieved when an individual follows an organized programme of
instruction in an educational institution, workplace or in the home. This kind of learning is often
embedded in planned activities that are often not designated as learning but which contain an
important learning element. It does not lead to formal qualifications or certification (OECD,
2004).
 Para-Formal Education
 Run by NGOs (NGO=Non-Governmental Organizations)
2.1 Non-formal education in Pakistan
Non-formal schools have begun to play a dramatic role in educating those who have long been
ignored in Pakistan: the countries rural and its poor.
So important a role have they that according to the report Human Development in South Asia
1998, any plan to extend universal primary education in Pakistan by the year 2003 will not be
successful unless there is a major stress on non-formal education.
This is not surprising, considering that in many, many disadvantaged areas of Pakistan,
particularly the rural parts, non-formal schools are not an alternative, but rather, the only option
children have to gain basic education and literacy skills.
Non-formal schools have a number of features which distinguish them from government and
other schools in Pakistan. Some of these include the fact that the teachers are selected from the
local community; the schools are closer in location to the children; the curriculum is practical
and related to issues children face in their daily lives; there is parental and community

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participation in all of the different levels of the students' education, and particular emphasis is
placed on educating girls and underprivileged groups.
These features also make the schools more cost-effective, since a non-formal school costs less
than two percent of the capital costs of a formal school. They are also time-efficient. It takes only
one month to establish a make-shift room in a house or building of a local teacher. In contrast, it
takes an average of two years to begin a formal school which must be set up in a new building.
But while the quality of the physical environment may not be as good in non-formal schools, the
curriculum and content of these schools is the same or sometimes, even better than formal
schools.
This is why the Human Development Foundation (HDF) has established a number of non-formal
schools in different parts of Pakistan as part of its work in the education sector.
HDF runs these schools with the participation of the community. The salient features of the
program are:
1. The education program is carried out in collaboration with one of the existing NGO in
Pakistan, which has been active in the field of education. Selection of the NGO is done
based on their program and activities in that geographical location.
2. HDF's schools are basically held in one room, where one teacher educates 30-35 children.
The children are of different age groups ranging anywhere from 5 years to 10 years.
3. The curriculum is the same as the government schools, but the goal is to finish the 5 years'
curriculum in 3 years. This is possible because there are no summer vacations.
4. HDF is trying very hard to change the teaching methodology from the traditional
"memorization" method to that of "joyful and activity based learning".
5. Like all other aspects of the program the community is asked to contribute something
towards this. So the community provides a room for the school either in someone's house or
by building a room.
6. Teachers are selected whenever possible from the same community. This way there is very
little turnover of teachers. Also the local people trust their children specially daughters with
someone they know. The teacher also feels comfortable because he or she knows the
community and can deal with several social issues.

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7. The teachers have to go through a teacher's training program before beginning and then
periodically after that.
8. All the expenses except the space (which is provided by the community) are borne by HDF.
This includes all the material, teacher's salary, teachers' training etc.
9. The parents are charged a school management fee, which goes into a special fund. This fund
is later used for the sustainability of the school.
10. There are very active parent teacher associations (PTA) in the schools. These are involved in
their management.
11. There are regular meetings of all the teachers from various schools in the same community
to discuss issues relevant to the education program.
HDF's schools have benefited thousands of children across Pakistan. They have also increased
awareness amongst parents about the need for basic education so that these children can have a
better future by securing the skills they need today.
2.2 Characteristics of non-formal education
 Non-formal education (NFE) is out-of school
 Learning that is planned and agreed upon by both facilitator and participants.
 Participants are active; they solve problems, work with their hands, and think creatively
 The learning is practical, flexible, and based on the real needs of the participants
 The purpose of NFE is to improve the life of the individual or community, rather than to
teach isolated skills or knowledge
 NFE emphasizes trust and respect while encouraging questioning and reflection
 NFE helps people generate creative, new solutions to real-life problems.
 NFE is carried out in an atmosphere of mutual respect and equality between teacher and
learner.
 NFE comes from the people, rather than being taken to them.

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3. InformalEducation
Learning resulting from daily life activities related to work, family or leisure. It is not structured
(in terms of learning objectives, learning time or learning support) and typically does not lead to
certification.
Informal learning is achieved outside of organized education or training provision and is not
organized or structured. In most cases it is unintentional and it is a result from daily ‘experience’
which occurs throughout life (work, family or leisure activities). It does not lead to certification
(OECD, 2004).
Informal Education is a general term for education outside of a standard school setting. Informal
Education is the wise, respectful and spontaneous process of cultivating learning. It works
through conversation, and the exploration and enlargement of experience.
3.1 Conversation
Informal Education is driven by conversation and being with others. It develops through
spending time with people - sharing in their - and listening and talking. Catherine Blyth has
described conversation has "the spontaneous business of making connections". It involves
connecting with both ideas and other people. “Conversation changes the way you see the world,
and even changes the world".
When we put conversation at the center of education it leads to exchange of thoughts which
doesn't have predetermined curriculum or plan. In conversation we, as educated, have to catch
moment where we can say or do something to deepen people's thinking's or put it themselves in
touch with these feelings. For the most part, we do not have lesson plans to follow, we respond
to situations, to experiences.
3.2 Spontaneity - Exploring and Enlarging Experience
Going with the flow’ opens up all sorts of possibilities for us as educators. On one hand we may
not be prepared for what comes, on the other we may get into rewarding areas. There is the

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chance, for example, to connect with the questions, issues and feelings that are important to
people, rather than what we think might be significant.
Picking our moment in the flow is also likely to take us into the world of people’s feelings,
experiences and relationships. While all educators should attend to experience and encourage
people to reflect, informal educators are thrown into this. As such they look to what lies at the
heart of education. As John Dewey once wrote, the ‘business of education might be defined as an
emancipation and enlargement of experience’. Our task is to work with people so that they may
have a greater understanding or appreciation of their experiences. Through coming to understand
what might be going on people can begin to be ‘set free’ – not be dictated to by, or victims of,
experience.
3.3 Anywhere, Anytime
Such conversations and activities can take place anywhere and that anytime. Informal education
works through and is driven by, conversation it is spontaneous and involves exploring and
enlarging experience. It can takes place in any settings.
3.4 Purpose of Informal Education
The purpose of informal education is no different to any other form of education in one situation
it may focus on healthy eating, in another family relationship. However, running through all
these is a concerns to build the sorts of communities and relationships in which people can be
happy and fulfilled. The values and behaviors needed for conversations to take place requires co-
operation and neighborliness, co-operation and democracy are to flourish.
3.5 Advantages
1. Ability to react in different situations.
2. Ability to understand and control new situations.
3. A complete understanding of self and group needs a necessities.
4. Combination of certain social entities than has a base goal education.

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Informal Education may be viewed as the learning that comes as a part of being involved in
youth and community organizations. In these settings there are specialist workers or educated
whose job is to encourage people to think about experiences and situations. This education is a
spontaneous process helping people to learn. Its helps to cultivate communities, associations and
relationships that make for human flourishing.
Informal Educators work in many different kinds of settings with individuals and groups who
choose to engage with them. The mass media (including television, video games, magazines,
etc.), museums, libraries, zoos, after-school groups and other community-based organizations
and cultural institutions offer forms of informal education.
4. Differences between Formal &Non-formal education
Formal education Non-formal education
Purposes
1. Long-term and general
2. Credential- based (diploma oriented)
1. Short-term and specific
2. Not credential-based
Timing
1. Long cycle
2. Preparatory (provides the basis for future
participation in society and economy)
3. Full-time
1. Short cycle
2. Recurrent (depends on the immediate learning
needs arising from the individual's roles and stage
of life)
3. Part-time
Content
1. Subject-centered & standardized (a well-
defined package of cognitive knowledge
(knowing) with limited emphasis on
psychomotor (doing) or affective (feeling)
considerations and designed to cover needs
across large groups of learners)
2. Academic
3. Clientele determined by entry requirements
(Tests)
1. Problem-centered & Individualized (task or skill
centered , discrete units which may be related to
the what individual participants or small groups
may want to learn)
2. Practical
3. Entry requirements determined by
the clientele

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Delivery System
1. Institution-based (highly visible and
expensive)
2. Isolated (from socio-economic
environment)
3. Rigidly structured
4. Teacher-centered
5. Resource-intensive
1. Environment -based (minimal local facilities with
low cost)
2. Community-related
3. Flexibly structured
4. Learner-centered
5. Resource Saving
Control
1. Externally controlled (curricula and
standards are externally determined)
2. Hierarchical (internal control is based on
role-defined relations among teachers and
between teachers and learners)
1. Self-governing autonomy at program and local
levels, with an emphasis on local initiative, self-
help and innovation)
2. Democratic (substantial control is vested in
participants and local community)
5. Formal vs. Informal Education
Formal education is classroom-based, provided by trained teachers. Informal education happens
outside the classroom, in after-school programs, community-based organizations, museums,
libraries, or at home.
What are the main differences between the two?
 In general, classrooms have the same kids and the same teachers every day. After-school
programs are often drop-in, so attendance is inconsistent, as is leadership.
 Classroom activities can last several days. After-school programs need to complete an
activity each day because a different group of kids could be in attendance tomorrow.
 You can assume that classroom-based teachers have a certain level of training in
educational philosophy, effective teaching strategies, classroom management, and
content. After-school providers, by contrast, vary in experience and knowledge of
teaching techniques, content expertise, and group management. Typically, materials for
after-school settings need to include a lot more structure.

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 Teachers need to meet educational standards and stick to a specified curriculum, which
can make it difficult for them to incorporate nontraditional content. After-school
programs, on the other hand, can be more flexible with their content.
Both formal and informal education settings offer different strengths to your educational
outreach project. If your project fits in the classroom, it can have a very long life; teachers will
use trusted resources for years. After-school programs offer a different kind of environment,
where your activities don't need to be as formal and where you can reach a different audience.
While both schools and after-school programs serve students, many kids who feel
disenfranchised at school blossom in after-school settings. Real learning can happen in a setting
where kids feel less intimidated or more comfortable than they do in a formal classroom. The
ultimate goal is that their success in an informal setting can lead to greater confidence in the
formal classroom.
An additional benefit of developing materials for informal educational settings is that they may
be useful to parents at home with their kids, or to adult learners who are looking to expand their
knowledge, either for their own enrichment or to increase their career options.
Summary:
Formal, Non-formal and Informal LearningThese terms have been used by the OECD
(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) as well as researchers and
practitioners around the globe. Formal education – Organized, guided by a formal curriculum,
leads to a formally recognized credential such as a high school completion diploma or a degree,
and is often guided and recognized by government at some level. Teachers are usually trained as
professionals in some way. Non-formal learning – Organized (even if it is only loosely
organized), may or may not be guided by a formal curriculum. This type of education may be led
by a qualified teacher or by a leader with more experience. Though it doesn’t result in a formal
degree or diploma, non-formal education is highly enriching and builds an individual’s skills and
capacities. Continuing education courses are an example for adults. Girl guides and boy scouts
are an example for children. It is often considered more engaging, as the learner’s interest is a
driving force behind their participation.Informal learning – No formal curriculum and no credits
earned. The teacher is simply someone with more experience such as a parent, grandparent or a

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friend. A father teaching his child to play catch or a babysitter teaching a child their ABC’s is an
example of informal education.

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References:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Informal_education
awamipolitics.com/structure-of-formal-education-system-of-pakistan-3089.html
slideshare.net/salihzekisonmez/non-formal-education-44988869
awamipolitics.com/structure-of-formal-education-system-of-pakistan-3089.html
infed.org/mobi/what-is-informal-education/
enhancinged.wgbh.org/started/what/formal.html
yespakistan.com/education/non-formal_edu.asp