During the past decade, nonformal education has become an accepted part of the educational scene in developing and developed countries alike. A good part of its popularity can be attributed to the belief that nonformal education could achieve some substantial reforms in the provision of education. Nonformal education appeared to h old out the possibility of dealing with problems of equity of access to education, of decreasing the distance between education and the world of work and life, of promoting development of rural areas, and of accelerating political participation and social development. Nonformal education was quickly seen to be a useful complement to the formal school system. Numerous small, local projects were begun which incorporated the basic ideas of nonformal education. Other activities, long in existence under other labels like adult education, literacy training, agricultural extension education, and youth activities, were seen in a new light and received renewed attention and resources. Gradually ministries began to take increasing not of these activities and efforts were made to revitalize and expand existing adult education departments. More recently a number of countries have introduced administrative personnel at the national level to coordinate, upgrade, and plan national systems of nonformal education. This paper will first examine the general issues surrounding the hope that nonformal education can and will lead to significant reform of the educational system. The discussion will focus on the impact of nonformal educational reforms in the context of the larger social, political and economic framework of society. Then attention will turn to an analysis of two quite different nonformal education projects. The first, characteristic of most exciting nonformal education activities, involves a small, private educational activity in Ghana. The analysis will look at activities of that organization at the regional and local level where an attempt is being made to reform and revitalize the implementation of its programs. The second project represents a much more recent phenomena, the attempt to carry out an extensive, national development of a nonformal educational system with a substantial infusion of new resources. This example is set in Indonesia and provides a basis for combining analysis at the local level with the study of a national reform effort. Both cases provide insights which will reflect back on the more basic set of issues embodied in the general belief in nonformal education as a vehicle for reform efforts in education.