MoD Spends Large Sums on Private Schools to Bypass Welsh Language Teaching
The MoD spends around £1m each year to send children to independent schools in northern Wales because "public schools provide various classes in the Welsh tongue".
The ministry disbursed £1,019,000 in educational stipend in the northern region for eighty-three students of military families in the current academic year, and nearly one million pounds for 79 children in 2023-2024 under a established policy.
An official representative stated "service children can face frequent moves" and the allowance "seeks to minimize disruption to their schooling".
The Welsh party described it as a "complete waste of money" and "an insult to our language" while the Tory party said parents should be able to choose the language in which their kids are educated.
These numbers were acquired following a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
The website of RAF Valley on the island informs its personnel, "for those residing and working in north Wales, where public schools provide various classes in the Welsh tongue, you may choose to send your kids to an English-medium private institution".
"As long as you are joined by your family at your duty station, you can utilize this benefit to cover the expense of school charges, educational excursions/residential learning programs and regular commuting."
A defense ministry representative told, "the aim of the educational stipend in the northern region (DSA-NW) is to assist military households stationed to the area, where the Welsh tongue is the main language of public schooling".
"Since relocation is a aspect of service life, military kids can face frequent moves and the DSA-NW seeks to lessen interference to their learning."
"The MoD acknowledges the sacrifices military members, and their families undertake, and through the stipend helps with the costs of independent day schooling provided in English."
'In Areas With Bilingual or Non-English Instruction'
The allowance includes school costs up to a maximum of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds annually, seven thousand five hundred eighty-five pounds each semester, and is accessible to personnel living in the regions of Conwy, the area, the locality, Anglesey or Flintshire and working in one of the following establishments:
- The military base, the island
- The combined forces alpine training facility, Anglesey
- The joint military mountain unit, the town
- Wales University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), Bangor detachment, the city
The qualifying private schools are Treffos school, the village, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in the town; St Gerard's, the city and St David's College, the town.
The relevant joint service publication states that "disbursement of the stipend is limited to those regions where instruction in the state sector is on a bilingual or non-English foundation".
Personnel stationed in other locations in the three branches of the military - the Army, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can claim a continuity of education allowance which contributes towards boarding and/or tuition fees up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each qualifying student.
Tory Senedd member the politician commented "members of the British armed forces relocate across the nation and the world, and the MoD has always tried to guarantee that their kids have availability to continuity in schooling".
"While we strongly endorse Welsh-medium education throughout the country, it's crucial to remember there are dual recognized tongues in our nation, English and Welsh, and municipal authorities and school boards should accommodate each."
"Families should always have the option to select the language in which their kids are instructed."
The Welsh party's learning representative the assembly member said "not only is this a complete waste of money, it is an insult to our tongue".
"I cannot think of any justifiable cause to be allocating such money annually, on preventing youth residing in the country from having the opportunity to acquire the Welsh tongue."
"Bilingualism enriches experience and aids the growth of young people, but the British administration is obviously blind to this."
"These funds is a clear illustration of the approach of the Westminster parties towards Wales and the native tongue - namely unawareness and disrespect."
