MoD Allocates Millions on Independent Schools to Avoid Welsh Language Education
The Ministry of Defence allocates around one million pounds each year to place students to private educational institutions in north Wales because "state schools provide various classes in the Welsh tongue".
It paid over one million pounds in day school allowance in the northern region for 83 children of military families in 2024-2025, and nearly one million pounds for 79 children in the previous year under a established practice.
An official representative said "service children can face regular relocations" and the allowance "aims to reduce disruption to their schooling".
Plaid Cymru described it as a "complete waste of funds" and "an insult to our tongue" while the Tory party argued families should be able to choose the language in which their kids are educated.
These numbers were obtained following a request under the public records law.
The online portal of the military installation on the island tells its personnel, "if you live and serve in northern Wales, where public schools teach various classes in the Welsh language, you may choose to send your children to an English-language private institution".
"As long as you are accompanied by your family at your duty station, you can use this benefit to cover the cost of school charges, educational excursions/residential educational courses and daily transport."
A defense ministry representative told, "the aim of the educational stipend in North Wales (DSA-NW) is to support service families stationed to the area, where the Welsh tongue is the primary medium of public schooling".
"As mobility is a aspect of service life, military kids can encounter regular transfers and the this allowance aims to lessen interference to their learning."
"The ministry acknowledges the sacrifices service personnel, and their families undertake, and through DSA-NW helps with the costs of independent day schooling given in the English language."
'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 a year, £7,585 each semester, and is accessible to people residing in the regions of Conwy, the area, Gwynedd, the island or Flintshire and working in these specific locations:
- RAF Valley, the island
- The combined forces alpine training facility, the island
- The joint military mountain unit, the town
- Wales University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), Bangor detachment, the city
The qualifying independent institutions are Treffos institution, Llansadwrn, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in Colwyn Bay; St Gerard's school, Bangor and St David's institution, the town.
The relevant military policy document states that "disbursement of the stipend is restricted to those areas where instruction in the state sector is on a bilingual or non-English basis".
Personnel serving in other locations in the multiple services of the armed forces - the ground forces, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force - can claim a educational continuity benefit which contributes towards boarding and/or school charges up to a cap, with a required family share of ten percent for each eligible child.
Welsh Conservative assembly representative Natasha Asghar said "personnel of the UK military move around the nation and the globe, and the ministry has always tried to guarantee that their children have access to consistency in education".
"While we strongly endorse Welsh-medium education throughout the country, it's crucial to recognize there are dual recognized tongues in our nation, the English tongue and Welsh, and municipal authorities and school boards should provide for both."
"Families should always have the option to select the language in which their children are taught."
Plaid Cymru's education spokesperson the assembly member stated "not just is this a total misuse of money, it is a slight to our tongue".
"I cannot think of any valid reason to be allocating such money every year, on blocking young people living in Wales from having the chance to acquire the Welsh tongue."
"Dual-language ability enriches experience and supports the development of youth, but the UK government is obviously blind to this."
"These funds is a clear illustration of the approach of the Westminster parties regarding Wales and the Welsh language - namely ignorance and disrespect."
