MoD Spends Large Sums on Private Education to Bypass Welsh Language Teaching
The Ministry of Defence spends approximately one million pounds each year to place children to private schools in north 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 service personnel in 2024-2025, and £942,000 for 79 children in the previous year under a longstanding policy.
A spokesperson said "military families' children can face regular relocations" and the stipend "aims to reduce disruption to their education".
The Welsh party called it a "total misuse of funds" and "a disrespect to our tongue" while the Conservatives said parents should be able to choose the language in which their kids are taught.
These numbers were acquired following a request under the public records law.
The website of RAF Valley on Anglesey tells its personnel, "if you live and serve in northern Wales, where public schools teach various classes in the Welsh tongue, you may choose to enroll your kids to an English-language independent school".
"Provided you are joined by your household at your duty station, you can use this allowance to cover the cost of school charges, educational excursions/residential educational courses and regular commuting."
An MoD spokesperson told, "the purpose of Day School Allowance in the northern region (DSA-NW) is to assist service families stationed to the area, where the Welsh tongue is the primary medium of public schooling".
"Since relocation is a part of military career, service children can encounter regular transfers and the DSA-NW seeks to minimize interference to their learning."
"The ministry acknowledges the sacrifices military members, and their families make, and from DSA-NW helps with the costs of independent day schooling provided in the English language."
'In Areas With Bilingual or Non-English Instruction'
The benefit covers school costs up to a maximum of £22,755 a year, £7,585 per term, and is accessible to people residing in the regions of Conwy, Denbighshire, the locality, Anglesey or the district and working in one of the following establishments:
- RAF Valley, Anglesey
- The combined forces alpine training facility, Anglesey
- The joint military mountain unit, the town
- Wales University Officers' Training Corps (the corps), Bangor detachment, the city
The qualifying private schools are Treffos institution, the village, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in Colwyn Bay; St Gerard's, the city and St David's institution, the town.
The applicable military policy document states that "payment of the allowance is restricted to those areas where teaching in the state sector is on a bilingual or non-English foundation".
People serving in other locations in the multiple services of the military - the ground forces, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force - can claim a continuity of education allowance which helps with boarding and/or school charges up to a cap, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each qualifying student.
Tory assembly representative the politician said "members of the UK military move around the nation and the globe, and the ministry has always sought to ensure that their kids have availability to continuity in education".
"Although we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching across Wales, it's crucial to remember there are dual recognized tongues in our country, English and Welsh, and local councils and school boards should provide for each."
"Parents should always have the option to decide the language in which their children are instructed."
Plaid Cymru's education spokesperson Cefin Campbell MS stated "not just is this a total misuse of funding, it is an insult to our language".
"It's hard to imagine any valid reason to be spending these funds every year, on blocking youth residing in the country from having the opportunity to acquire the Welsh language."
"Bilingualism enhances life and aids the development of young people, but the British administration is obviously blind to this."
"This money is a clear illustration of the approach of the UK political groups towards the nation and the Welsh language - namely unawareness and disrespect."
