Importance of including non-formal methods in formal education

Nowadays education and personal development of children and young people is becoming a global priority.

Children and youngsters can improve their capacities and hidden abilities by merging into the actual educational structure other types of educational roots. With this merger, there is an actual possibility of finding solutions to those problems that cannot be solved with the current education.

Formal education is dissociated from non-formal education, leaving the latter on a secondary level, associating it with extracurricular activities, often not accessible to all children and teenagers. Integrating non-formal education within the school context, ensures that the contents worked on can reach all students equally.

Non-formal education refers to any type of learning that occurs outside the formal education system. Unlike formal education, which follows a structured curriculum and takes place in educational institutions, non-formal education is more flexible, adaptive and student-centred. This allows young people to learn at their own pace and according to their interests.

Non-formal education can address topics and skills that are often not covered in the traditional curriculum, such as emotional education, conflict resolution and critical thinking. What can be summarized in a more comprehensive education adapted to the needs of the students.

Therefore, I consider it essential to include non-formal education in the school curriculum through a subject that allows guiding and provides the necessary tools to young people and thus enables their participation in school life, extrapolating these results to future active involvement in society through a greater degree of autonomy and empowerment of the target people.

Besides the importance of having a specific subject, it is important to develop non-formal tools and methodologies for working in the traditional subjects to make them more attractive and interesting, adapting the way of teaching to the continuous social changes.

In order to address non-formal education within the classroom, it is very important to have qualified professionals, since, in this way, a different and complementary perspective is provided to formal education, which enriches the learning process. Their experience in non-formal environments allows them to use innovative and dynamic methods that can better capture the attention of students.

This way of working at schools, can be also a preventive measure against school failure, absenteeism and early school dropout rates. With this methodology it is intended

to work on this problem by giving students the opportunity to be active participants in their own educational process.

Learning by doing is the main idea of the non-formal education and the soft skills that the youngsters can acquire and that will help them once they finish their formal educational period.

In conclusion, integrating non-formal education into the formal school curriculum is essential to fostering the holistic development of children and young people. This approach not only bridges the gap between academic learning and real-world skills but also ensures equal access to valuable life skills like emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and conflict resolution. By including a dedicated subject for non-formal education and utilizing adaptable, student-centered methodologies across all subjects, schools can make learning more engaging and relevant. This inclusive educational model, led by qualified professionals, can prevent disengagement and dropout, empowering students to take an active role in their education and future societal involvement. Ultimately, a blend of formal and non-formal education equips young people with the autonomy and soft skills they need for personal and professional success