MoD Allocates Millions on Private Schools to Bypass Welsh Language Education

The MoD spends around £1m each year to send students to independent educational institutions in northern Wales because "public schools teach some or all lessons in the Welsh language".

It paid over one million pounds in day school allowance in north Wales for 83 children of military families in the current academic year, and £942,000 for 79 children in the previous year under a longstanding practice.

A spokesperson said "military families' children can experience regular relocations" and the allowance "aims to minimize interruption to their schooling".

Plaid Cymru called it a "total misuse of funds" and "a disrespect to our language" while the Conservatives said families should be able to choose the language in which their kids are taught.

The figures were obtained following a inquiry under the public records law.

The online portal of RAF Valley on the island informs its personnel, "if you live and serve in north Wales, where public schools provide some or all lessons in the Welsh language, you may choose to send your kids to an English-language independent school".

"As long as you are accompanied by your household at your duty station, you can use this benefit to pay for the expense of school charges, educational excursions/residential educational courses and regular commuting."

An MoD spokesperson told, "the aim of the educational stipend in North Wales (the allowance) is to assist service families stationed to the area, where Welsh is the main language of local state education".

"Since relocation is a aspect of military career, military kids can encounter frequent moves and the this allowance aims to minimize disruption to their education."

"The ministry supports the sacrifices military members, and their relatives make, and from the stipend helps with the expenses of private education given in English."

'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'

The allowance covers school costs up to a limit of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds annually, £7,585 per term, and is available to personnel living in the regions of the county, the area, the locality, the island or Flintshire and serving in one of the following establishments:

• The military base, Anglesey
• Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, Anglesey
• Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, Llanrwst
• The university military training program (UOTC), Bangor detachment, the city

The qualifying independent institutions are Treffos institution, Llansadwrn, the island; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in the town; St Gerard's, the city and St David's institution, Llandudno.

The relevant military policy document confirms that "payment of the stipend is limited to those regions where teaching in the public system is on a dual-language or non-English foundation".

Personnel serving in other locations in the three branches of the armed forces - the ground forces, the naval service and the air service - can claim a educational continuity benefit which helps with boarding and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a required family share of 10% for each qualifying student.

Tory assembly representative the politician commented "personnel of the British armed forces relocate across the country and the world, and the ministry have always sought to ensure that their children have availability to continuity in education".

"While we fully support Welsh-medium education across the country, it's important to recognize there are two official languages in our country, English and the Welsh language, and local councils and school boards 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 the assembly member stated "not only is this a total misuse of funding, it is a slight to our tongue".

"It's hard to imagine any valid reason to be spending such money every year, on preventing young people living in the country from having the opportunity to acquire the Welsh tongue."

"Dual-language ability enhances experience and aids the development of young people, but the British administration is obviously unaware to this."

"These funds is a clear illustration of the approach of the Westminster parties towards the nation and the native tongue - namely unawareness and disrespect."