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Endnotes to the Education Policy Analysis
1 The terms formal, non-formal and informal learning are difficult to define precisely. According to the International Standard Classification for Education (UNESCO, 1997) formal education refers to the system of schools, colleges, universities and other formal educational institutions that normally contribute full-time education for children and young people. Non-formal education comprises any organised and sustained educational activities that do not correspond to this definition of formal education. It can take place both within and outside educational institutions and cater to persons of all ages. Informal learning consists of all intended learning activities that cannot be classified as formal or non-formal learning. They are characterised by a relatively low level of organisation and may take place at the individual level (for example, self-directed learning) or at the group level (for example at the workplace or within the family). In this chapter, the term informal learning has been used to cover both non-formal and informal learning.
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