The (in)hearahle lightness of non-formal education and the daily realities of social education

We place our arguments owing to the need to critically review three expressions ('formal', 'non formal' and 'informal education) that have acquired a remarkable, and unjustified, prominence in contemporary pedagogical discourses. Invoking lifelong learning, we analyse the theoretical-conceptual inconsistencies of "non-formal education", as well as the use and abuse of this denomination that international organizations, academic communities and professional make of this denominations in different contexts. In addition to differentiating it from scholar (formal) education, these also result in the emptying 'other educations' identities. It happens with popular education and social education, hiding their political and ideological motivations behind the logic of division. As 'formal' as it is, its growing recognition in the Education Sciences is silenced in the more orthodox texts of education theory, government statements and reports. We demand theft proposals and alternative responses to improve education and society.