Systems of Formal Education

Instruction refers to the facilitating of learning, by a teacher or tutor.
Teaching refers to the actions of an instructor to impart learning to the student.
Learning refers to those who are taught, with a view toward preparing them with specific knowledge, skills, or abilities that can be applied upon completion.
Preschool education
Primary education

Primary school in open air. Teacher (priest) with class from the outskirts of Bucharest, around 1842.Primary (or elementary) education consists of the first 5–7 years of formal, structured education. In general, primary education consists of six or eight years of schooling starting at the age of five or six, although this varies between, and sometimes within, countries. Globally, around 89% of primary-age children are enrolled in primary education, and this proportion is rising. Under the Education for All programs driven by UNESCO, most countries have committed to achieving universal enrollment in primary education by 2015, and in many countries, it is compulsory for children to receive primary education. The division between primary and secondary education is somewhat arbitrary, but it generally occurs at about eleven or twelve years of age. Some education systems have separate middle schools, with the transition to the final stage of secondary education taking place at around the age of fourteen. Schools that provide primary education, are mostly referred to as primary schools. Primary schools in these countries are often subdivided into infant schools and junior school.

Education is a broad concept, which encompasses all experiences that help a student learn. This education can either be formal or informal. As for formal education, there are around six major types: primary, secondary, higher, adult, alternative, and indigenous education. Primary or elementary education consists of the first few years of structured education. Secondary education occurs during adolescence, a transition from primary to tertiary education. Higher or tertiary education is a non-compulsory level that includes undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Adult education takes many forms from class-based to self-directed learning, covering various fields like veterinary medicine and bookkeeping. Alternative or non-traditional education includes all kinds of learning outside traditional education, notably directed at students with special needs like teenage drop-outs and mentally challenged individuals. Indigenous education is directed towards members of indigenous communities, placing emphasis on promoting native ways of knowing, learning, instructing, teaching, and training.