MoD Allocates Millions on Independent Schools to Avoid Welsh Education
The MoD allocates around £1m annually to place students to private schools in northern Wales because "state schools teach some or all classes in the Welsh tongue".
It paid over one million pounds in educational stipend in north Wales for 83 children of military families in the current academic year, and nearly one million pounds for 79 children in 2023-2024 under a longstanding practice.
An official representative stated "military families' children can experience regular relocations" and the stipend "seeks to reduce interruption to their schooling".
The Welsh party called it a "total misuse of funds" and "a disrespect to our language" while the Tory party argued parents should be able to choose the medium in which their kids are taught.
These numbers were acquired following a inquiry under the Freedom of Information Act.
The online portal of RAF Valley on the island informs its personnel, "for those residing and working in north Wales, where state schools provide some or all classes in the Welsh language, you can opt to send your kids to an English-language private institution".
"As long as you are joined by your family at your duty station, you can utilize this allowance to cover the expense of tuition fees, educational excursions/residential educational courses and daily transport."
An MoD spokesperson explained, "the purpose of Day School Allowance in North Wales (the allowance) is to assist military households stationed to the region, where the Welsh tongue is the primary medium of public schooling".
"Since relocation is a aspect of service life, military kids can encounter frequent moves and the this allowance seeks to lessen interference to their learning."
"The MoD acknowledges the contributions service personnel, and their families make, and through DSA-NW assists with the expenses of private education given in English."
'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'
The allowance covers tuition fees up to a maximum of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds a year, seven thousand five hundred eighty-five pounds each semester, and is available to people residing in the counties of Conwy, the area, Gwynedd, Anglesey or the district and working in one of the following establishments:
- RAF Valley, the island
- Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, Llanrwst
- Wales University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), Bangor detachment, the city
The qualifying private schools are Treffos institution, the village, the island; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in the town; St Gerard's school, the city and St David's institution, the town.
The relevant joint service publication confirms that "payment of the allowance is limited to those areas where teaching in the public system is on a dual-language or non-English basis".
Personnel serving in other locations in the three branches of the armed forces - the ground forces, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can apply for a educational continuity benefit which contributes towards residential and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a required family share of ten percent for each qualifying student.
Tory Senedd member Natasha Asghar said "personnel of the UK military relocate across the nation and the globe, and the ministry have always tried to guarantee that their children have access to continuity in schooling".
"While we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching across Wales, it's crucial to recognize there are two official languages in our nation, the English tongue and the Welsh language, and municipal authorities and education authorities should provide for both."
"Families should always have the option to select the medium in which their kids are taught."
The Welsh party's learning representative Cefin Campbell MS said "not only is this a total misuse of money, it is a slight to our language".
"I cannot think of any justifiable cause to be allocating these funds annually, on blocking youth living in the country from having the opportunity to learn the Welsh tongue."
"Bilingualism enriches life and supports the development of youth, but the British administration is obviously blind to this."
"This money is a perfect example of the approach of the Westminster parties regarding the nation and the native tongue - namely unawareness and insults."