MoD Spends Large Sums on Independent Education to Bypass Welsh Education
The MoD spends approximately one million pounds annually to send students to private educational institutions in northern Wales because "public schools teach various classes in the Welsh tongue".
The ministry disbursed over one million pounds in day school allowance in the northern region for eighty-three students of military families in 2024-2025, and nearly one million pounds for seventy-nine students in 2023-2024 under a longstanding policy.
An official representative stated "service children can experience frequent moves" and the stipend "seeks to minimize disruption to their schooling".
Plaid Cymru called it a "total misuse of money" and "an insult to our language" while the Conservatives argued families should be able to select the medium in which their kids are taught.
These numbers were obtained following a inquiry under the Freedom of Information Act.
The online portal of RAF Valley on Anglesey informs its personnel, "if you live and serve in northern Wales, where public schools teach 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 posting, you can utilize this benefit to cover the expense of tuition fees, educational excursions/residential learning programs and daily transport."
A defense ministry representative explained, "the aim of the educational stipend in the northern region (DSA-NW) is to assist military households stationed to the region, where the Welsh tongue is the primary medium of public schooling".
"Since relocation is a part of service life, military kids can face regular transfers and the this allowance aims to minimize disruption to their learning."
"The ministry supports the sacrifices military members, and their families make, and through DSA-NW assists with the expenses of private education given in the English language."
'In Areas With Bilingual or Non-English Instruction'
The benefit covers school costs up to a limit of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds a year, £7,585 per term, and is available to personnel living in the regions of Conwy, the area, Gwynedd, the island or Flintshire and working in these specific locations:
- RAF Valley, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, Llanrwst
- Wales University Officers' Training Corps (the corps), Bangor unit, the city
The eligible private schools are Treffos institution, the village, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in the town; St Gerard's, Bangor and St David's institution, Llandudno.
The applicable joint service publication states that "payment of the stipend is limited to those areas where teaching in the state sector is on a bilingual or non-English basis".
People serving elsewhere in the multiple services of the armed forces - the Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force - can apply for a educational continuity benefit which helps with boarding and/or tuition fees up to a cap, with a required family share of 10% for each qualifying student.
Welsh Conservative assembly representative Natasha Asghar said "members of the British armed forces move around the nation and the world, and the MoD has always sought to guarantee that their children have access to continuity in education".
"While we fully support Welsh-language teaching across the country, it's important to recognize there are two official languages in our nation, the English tongue and Welsh, and local councils and education authorities should provide for each."
"Families should always have the choice to select the language in which their kids are instructed."
Plaid Cymru's learning representative the assembly member said "not just is this a complete waste of money, it is an insult to our language".
"I cannot think of any valid reason to be spending such money every year, on preventing young people living in Wales from having the chance to learn the Welsh language."
"Bilingualism enriches experience and aids the growth of youth, but the British administration is obviously unaware to this."
"These funds is a clear illustration of the attitude of the UK political groups regarding Wales and the Welsh language - namely ignorance and insults."
