Formal vs Informal Education (II)

In this two-part series, we will be discussing the tenets of formal and informal education. Last week, we discussed informal learning and this week, we will be analyzing formal education.

What is Formal Education?
Formal education is a structured and systematic form of learning. It runs from primary (and in some cases nursery) school to university. Formal education includes specialized programmes for vocational, technical and professional training. This form of learning is standardized and based on a curriculum – trained teachers educate pupils within the four walls of a classroom at prearranged times. There is usually an assessment of what the pupils have learnt, and it does not conform to individual needs and preferences.

“Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime.”- Laozi (老子)[i][/i]

Characteristics of Formal Education:
• Formal learning is planned and structured. It follows a program/curriculum
• Qualified teachers/expert deliver knowledge to students
• It is delivered within a specific time
• It is subject-oriented
• Formal learning is deliberate. The teacher makes a conscious decision to impart knowledge while individuals go to schools to receive knowledge.

Benefits of Formal Education
Formal learning is important to survive in today’s cutthroat society. It gives people good social reputations, jobs and has many other benefits. Formal Education is an early launchpad – it gives individuals a solid foundation to lead successful and fulfilled lives. When you complete your formal education, you get degrees and certificates that you can use to earn a living. It helps individuals build skills [/b]for a livelihood. Formal learning increases the well-being of individuals by allowing them to gain skills – both cognitive (e.g., literacy and numeracy) and noncognitive (e.g., social and organizational skills).

Formal education in schools is also an [b]important agent of socialization. The importance of early social relationships formed in classrooms cannot be overstated. Schools help to establish that early peer relationship. Formal Education helps individuals develop critical reasoning ability. Despite the notion that man is a rational being, a formal education helps to polish one’s reasoning faculties.

Formal Education aids economic growth and development. It plays a role in societal prosperity. A country’s economy becomes more productive as the proportion of educated workers increases. The education and training of any country’s workforce determines how well the country’s economy will perform.