Ministry of Defence Spends Large Sums on Private Education to Avoid Welsh Education
The Ministry of Defence allocates approximately one million pounds annually to send children to independent schools in north Wales because "state schools provide various classes in the Welsh tongue".
It paid over one million pounds in day school allowance in the northern region for eighty-three students of military families in the current academic year, and £942,000 for seventy-nine students in 2023-2024 under a longstanding practice.
An official representative stated "military families' children can face regular relocations" and the allowance "seeks to reduce interruption to their education".
Plaid Cymru called it a "complete waste of money" and "an insult to our language" while the Conservatives argued parents should be able to select the language in which their kids are taught.
These numbers were acquired following a inquiry under the public records law.
The website of RAF Valley on the island informs its personnel, "for those residing and working in north Wales, where state schools provide various classes in the Welsh language, you can opt to enroll your children to an English-medium private institution".
"Provided you are joined by your household at your posting, you can utilize this allowance to cover the expense of tuition fees, field study trips/residential learning programs and daily transport."
A defense ministry representative told, "the purpose of Day School Allowance in North Wales (DSA-NW) is to support service families posted to the region, where the Welsh tongue is the main language of public schooling".
"As mobility is a part of military career, service children can face frequent moves and from this allowance seeks to lessen interference to their learning."
"The MoD acknowledges the sacrifices military members, and their families make, and through DSA-NW helps with the expenses of independent day schooling provided in English."
'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'
The allowance includes school costs up to a limit of £22,755 annually, £7,585 each semester, and is accessible to people living in the counties of Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Anglesey or the district and serving in one of the following establishments:
- The military base, the island
- Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, the town
- Wales University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), Bangor detachment, Caernarfon
The eligible independent institutions are Treffos school, the village, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in Colwyn Bay; St Gerard's school, Bangor and St David's institution, Llandudno.
The relevant joint service publication confirms that "payment of the stipend is limited to those regions where teaching in the state sector is on a bilingual or non-English foundation".
People stationed elsewhere in the three branches of the armed forces - the ground forces, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can claim a continuity of education allowance which helps with residential and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each qualifying student.
Welsh Conservative assembly representative the politician said "personnel of the UK military relocate across the nation and the world, and the MoD have always sought to ensure that their children have access to consistency in education".
"Although we strongly endorse Welsh-medium education across Wales, it's important to recognize there are dual recognized tongues in our nation, the English tongue and the Welsh language, and local councils and school boards should accommodate both."
"Families should always have the option to select the medium in which their children are taught."
The Welsh party's learning representative the assembly member stated "not only is this a complete waste of money, it is an insult to our language".
"It's hard to imagine any justifiable cause to be spending these funds annually, on preventing young people residing in the country from having the opportunity to learn the Welsh language."
"Dual-language ability enriches experience and aids the growth of young people, but the UK government is obviously unaware to this."
"These funds is a clear illustration of the approach of the UK political groups towards the nation and the native tongue - namely unawareness and disrespect."
