Republic of the Philippines

CARLOS HILADO MEMORIAL STATE COLLEGE

Talisay City, Negros Occidental

Handouts in
Non Formal Education

Non-Formal Education (NFE)

NFE Meaning & Importance
To reconcile with the rapid growth and improvement of educational standard quantitatively
and qualitatively, NEE is engaging the foremost attention of all nations of the world. The
natural outcome of the profusion and emergence of Modern knowledge the influenced the
educational trends to use education as a social, political and economic tool for survival.
Educational systems of the countries reflect the quality and development of nations. It attracts
people to acquire new knowledge and skills, particularly in science which doubles itself every
decade. Under these conditions, the experts in pedagogical sciences are always exploring the
new venues of education for pacing with the demands and challenges of the future. The very
obvious and prompt response to this demand is to expand the system of education or to find
out the alternate of formal System.

It was realized that the global changing circumstances demanded abrupt changes in the
formal system but due to its structural frame work it failed to fulfil the roles recognized above.
Naturally, the growing minds do not wait for the system to modify, therefore, it gave birth to
international movement which manifested itself in different ways in different nations according
to their own cultural, political and economical factors.

You have learnt in the foregoing pages of this unit about the 'in-formal' and 'formal' modes of
education, but the changing scenario, dynamic and revolutionary need based education
through traditional approaches can hardly be achieved, Eventually, non-formal education
emerged as one of the alternatives of the formal system of education.

Non formal learning is one of the recent international educational movements which emerged
from the idea of general improvement of the people to meet their social and economical
needs.

Definition
The word "non-formal" is derived by using the pre-fix "non" to formal. It is usually written NFE.
It can be define "Any organized educational activity outside the established formal system
whether operating separately or as an important feature of some broader activity that is
intended to serve identifiable learning clienteles and learning objective"

Objectives of Non Formal Education

1. To enable maximum out of school children from 9 to 14 years and attend the non-
formal stream.
2. Learning of basic skill i.e. reading, writing and general mathematic
3. To enable them about the handle different tools and techniques
4. To make them socially and morally active towards and national values and ideas
Characteristics of Non Formal Education
1. It is well planned and no need of any school system.
2. A participatory learning system
3. It is open ended educational system
4. No need for structured course and curriculum
5. Age, Time and curriculum flexibility
6. Involvement of both public and private sector in the process
7. It is not necessary to conduct exam on regular basis
8. Credentials like certificate and awards are not necessary to be awarded
 9. Self-learning is appreciated
Types
1. Para formal education- run parallel to the formal system and often serve as
substitute for formal provisions, in which they mirror themselves.

2. Popular education- Popular education proposed by Carron and Carr-Hill (1919)

located at the other extreme of the educational field. activities that explicitly try to
stand aloof from the formal school system

3. Personal development- Personal development Education programmes covering a

range of learning practices organized by cultural institutions to promote leisure-time
activities (Carr-Hill, et al, 2001).
4. Professional and vocational training-Professional and educational training covers
all training outside the formal and non-formal forms of initial skills training leading to
recognize national diplomas. Includes on-the-job learning, apprenticeship, agricultural
or industrial extension services.

5. Literacy with skill development

6. Supplementary NFE Pogroms

Examples
1. Sports programs organized of community organization
2. Non-credit adult education programs
3. Computer and Language Classes in a Community
4. Online free courses
5.
http://www.studylecturenotes.com/foundation-of-education/non-formal-education-nfe

Characteristics of NFE

Non-formal education must be distinguished from formal and informal education and differs
from them. J.P. Naik was the father of non-formal education.
1. It takes place outside the school organization or school system.
2. It focuses on imparting vocational training to the student and is generally linked to vocational
and functional literacy. i.e. each one teach one.
3. It is an open-ended process of education with lots of discussions, sharing, exploring,
analyzing, judging, etc.
4. It is well planned.
5. There may or may not be a definite course or curriculum.
6. Time to complete might be flexible.
7. Curriculum also might be flexible.
8. Agencies such as the government, management, etc. are involved.
9. There is mental strain on teacher and taught but not to the extent found in formal education.
10. There is no age limit or barrier to undergo non-formal education.
11. Exams may or may not be conducted at the end.
12. Certificates, awards, may or may not be awarded at the end of the learning.
13. Fees may not always be paid.
14. It is a voluntary mode of education. The student has the choice to take up what
interests him.
15. Unfortunately, it does not get as much respect and recognition as compared to formal
education.
16. Sometimes difficult to get jobs.
17. Work experience is given weight age.
18. Education is decentralized.
19. Courses may be full-time or part-time.
20. Earn and learn is allowed.
21. It is more practical and useful for day to day life than the theory based formal
education.
22. Teacher and taught share a relationship of same level.
23. Emphasis is on self-learning.
24. Professional improvement is specific to that skill or vocation being taught.

Non- Formal Education in the Philippines

O The mission of NonformalEducation (NFE) in the Philippines is to empower the Filipino
with "desirable knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will enable him/her to think
critically and creatively, act innovatively and humanely in improving the quality of
his/her life and that of his/her family, community and country."
O NFE aims to reduce the number of illiterate out-of-school youth and adults with need-
based literacy programs, plus continue education through basic development projects.
Activities that fall under this system of education range from vocational training to adult
reading classes, from family planning sessions to cultural and leadership workshops for
community leaders.
O NFE aims to reduce the number of illiterate out-of-school youth and adults with need-
based literacy programs, plus continue education through basic development projects.
Activities that fall under this system of education range from vocational training to adult
reading classes, from family planning sessions to cultural and leadership workshops for
community leaders.

O Examples
O Sports programs organized of community organization
O Non-credit adult education programs
O Computer and Language Classes in a Community
O Online free courses

The non-formal education programs focus on the following thrusts:

O the promotion of literacy programs for the attainment of basic skills that include
numeracy and functional literacy and which are basic needs for every individual;
O the development of livelihood skills which manifest in the individual specific
competencies that prepare, improve, and enhance employability and economic
productivity;
O the expansion of certification and equivalency programs, which are administered by the
formal education subsystem, into the non-formal sector.

Formal, Informal and Non formal Education

O Formal education: the hierarchically structured, chronologically graded ‘education
system’, running from primary school through the university and including, in addition to
general academic studies, a variety of specialisedprogrammes and institutions for full-
time technical and professional training.
O Informal education: the truly lifelong process whereby every individual acquires
attitudes, values, skills and knowledge from daily experience and the educative
influences and resources in his or her environment – from family and neighbours, from
work and play, from the market place, the library and the mass media.
O Non-formal education: any organised educational activity outside the established
formal system – whether operating separately or as an important feature of some
broader activity – that is intended to serve identifiable learning clienteles and learning
objectives.
 Non-Formal Education…
O Styles of Communication- different styles dependent on situations.
O Values - democratic
O Trainer – non-formal
O Way of choosing topic- assessment of needs and inclusions of participants to some
extent in the planning process.

formal non-formal

Long-term Short-term &specificNon-

purposes &generalCredential-based credential-based

long cycle / preparatory / short cycle / recurrent /

timing full-time part-time

standardized / input individualized / output

centredacademic centredpractical

entry requirements clientele determine entry

determine clientele requirements
content

institution-based, isolated environment-based,

from environment.rigidly community
structured, teacher- related.flexible, learner-
delivery centred and resource centred and resource
system intensive saving

self-governing /
control external / hierarchical democratic

NFE A&E System

O The Non-Formal Education - Accreditation and Equivalency (NFE A&E) System is
envisioned to those Filipinos who are unable to avail of the formal school system or
who have dropped out of formal school elementary and secondary education
O The NFE A&E test offers OSY, OSA, functional illiterates, unemployed people,
elementary and secondary education drop-outs, and industrial workers the possibility of
certification. The NFE A&E test is a standardized paper- and pencil-based test featuring
multiple-choice questions based on the expected learning outcomes articulated in the
five learning strands of the NFE A&E Curriculum framework:
1. Communication skills: ability to read and write and to apply these skills in solving
problems of daily living and accessing new information and opportunities in order
to lead a better life
2. Problem solving and critical thinking: skills conducive to reading calendars,
counting change, reading road signs with numbers, and so on
3. Sustainable use of resources/productivity
4. Development of self and sense of community
5. Expanding one's world vision: Filipinos are part of global community