Types of Education:
Educational thinkers, scholars, and philosophers have divided education into different into different types and categories. Among these, the most popular division is types based on institution. According to this division education can be of following types:
1. Formal education: Formal education is the type of education which is provided in certain institutions like school, college, universities etc. Formal education is designed with fixed aims and objective and provided according to the curriculum. It has fixed timetable, examination system, and discipline. It is provided in accordance with the rules and regulations of the concerned school and college. The characteristics are:-
(a) It is predetermined and pre-planned.
(b) It is time-bound and regulated by routine.
(c) It is space-bound i.e., institutional.
(d) It is age bound.
(e) It follows a systematic curriculum.
(f) It is imparted by qualified teachers.
(g) It observes strict discipline
(h) It is methodical in nature.
2. Informal education: Informal education or incidental education is one which occurs automatically in the process of living. It is received by one by living with others, such as cycling, horse riding, fishing etc. The main characteristic of informal education are:
(a) It is incidental and spontaneous.
(b) It is not pre-planned and deliberate.
(c) It is not confined to any institution.
(d) There is no prescribed syllabus and timetable.
(e) It is not time-bound and age bound.
(f) There are many agencies of informal education.
(g) It is also known as out of school education.
3. Non-formal education: Non-formal education is an organized systematic educational activity carried outside the framework of the established formal system. Non-formal education is provided at the convenient place, time and level of understanding or mental growth of children and adult. The main characteristics are:-
(a) Non-formal education is open-ended and non-competitive.
(b) Non-formal education is structured and planned but outside the sphere of formal education.
(c) It is consciously and deliberately organized and implemented.
(d) It is programmed to serve the need of the homogeneous groups.
(e) It possesses flexibility in the design of the curriculum and process and evaluation.
(f) In non-formal education, the teacher-pupil relationship is much more intimate.
(g) Attendance in non-formal education is voluntary.
(h) In non-formal education, many students are working persons.
Source: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-various-types-of-education