Ministry of Defence Allocates Large Sums on Independent Schools to Avoid Welsh Education
The Ministry of Defence allocates around one million pounds each year to place students to independent educational institutions in north Wales because "state schools provide some or all lessons in the Welsh language".
It paid £1,019,000 in educational stipend in the northern region for eighty-three students of military families in 2024-2025, and nearly one million pounds for 79 children in 2023-2024 under a longstanding policy.
An official representative stated "service children can experience frequent moves" and the stipend "seeks to reduce interruption to their education".
Plaid Cymru called it a "complete waste of funds" and "a disrespect to our language" while the Conservatives said parents should be able to choose the language in which their children are taught.
These numbers were obtained following a request 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 state schools teach some or all classes in the Welsh tongue, you may choose to send your kids to an English-language private institution".
"Provided you are accompanied by your household at your posting, you can use this allowance to pay for the cost of school charges, field study trips/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 posted to the region, where the Welsh tongue is the primary medium of public schooling".
"As mobility is a aspect of service life, service children can face regular transfers and the DSA-NW seeks to minimize interference to their learning."
"The ministry acknowledges the contributions military members, and their families make, and from the stipend assists with the costs of private education provided in English."
'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'
The allowance includes tuition fees up to a maximum 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, Gwynedd, the island or the district and serving in one of the following establishments:
- The military base, Anglesey
- The combined forces alpine training facility, the island
- Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, Llanrwst
- Wales University Officers' Training Corps (the corps), Bangor unit, the city
The eligible independent institutions are Treffos school, Llansadwrn, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in Colwyn Bay; St Gerard's school, Bangor and St David's College, Llandudno.
The relevant joint service publication states that "disbursement of the stipend is limited to those regions where teaching in the public system is on a bilingual or non-English basis".
People serving elsewhere in the multiple services of the armed forces - the ground forces, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force - can claim a continuity of education allowance which helps with boarding and/or tuition fees up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of 10% for each eligible child.
Tory Senedd member the politician commented "members of the UK military move around the nation and the globe, and the MoD has always sought to guarantee that their children have access to continuity in schooling".
"While we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching throughout Wales, it's important to remember there are dual recognized tongues in our country, the English tongue and the Welsh language, and local councils and school boards should provide for each."
"Families should always have the choice to decide the language in which their kids are instructed."
The Welsh party's learning representative the assembly member stated "not only is this a complete waste of money, it is an insult to our language".
"I cannot think of any valid reason to be allocating these funds annually, on blocking young people living in the country from having the chance to acquire the Welsh language."
"Dual-language ability enhances life and aids the development of youth, but the British administration is obviously unaware to this."
"This money is a perfect example of the attitude of the UK political groups towards the nation and the Welsh language - namely unawareness and insults."
