MoD Spends Large Sums on Independent Education to Avoid Welsh Language Education

The MoD spends approximately £1m annually to place children to independent educational institutions in northern Wales because "state schools provide some or all classes in the Welsh language".

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 nearly one million pounds for seventy-nine students in 2023-2024 under a longstanding practice.

An official representative stated "service children can face regular relocations" and the stipend "seeks to minimize disruption to their schooling".

Plaid Cymru described it as a "total misuse of money" and "an insult to our language" while the Conservatives said parents should be able to choose the medium in which their children are taught.

The figures were obtained following a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

The website of the military installation on Anglesey tells its personnel, "for those residing and working in northern Wales, where public schools teach various classes in the Welsh language, you may choose to send your kids to an English-language independent school".

"As long as you are joined by your household at your posting, you can utilize this benefit to pay for the cost of tuition fees, educational excursions/residential educational courses and regular commuting."

A defense ministry representative told, "the purpose of Day School Allowance in North Wales (the allowance) is to support service families stationed to the area, where the Welsh tongue is the main language of public schooling".

"Since relocation is a part of service life, service children can encounter frequent moves and the DSA-NW seeks to minimize interference to their learning."

"The ministry acknowledges the sacrifices service personnel, and their families undertake, and through the stipend assists with the costs of independent day schooling provided in English."

'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'

The benefit covers tuition fees up to a limit of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds a year, seven thousand five hundred eighty-five pounds each semester, and is available to personnel living in the counties of Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, the island or Flintshire and working in one of the following establishments:

• RAF Valley, the island
• Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, Anglesey
• The joint military mountain unit, the town
• Wales University Officers' Training Corps (the corps), Bangor unit, Caernarfon

The qualifying independent institutions are Treffos school, Llansadwrn, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in the town; St Gerard's, Bangor and St David's institution, the town.

The applicable military policy document states that "payment of the allowance is limited to those areas where teaching in the public system is on a bilingual or non-English basis".

Personnel serving in other locations in the three branches of the armed forces - the ground forces, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force - can apply for a educational continuity benefit which helps with boarding and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each qualifying student.

Tory assembly representative the politician commented "members of the British armed forces relocate across the nation and the globe, and the ministry have always tried to guarantee that their kids have availability to consistency in education".

"Although we fully support Welsh-medium education across the country, it's crucial to recognize there are dual recognized tongues in our nation, the English tongue and Welsh, and local councils and education authorities should accommodate both."

"Families should always have the choice to decide the medium in which their kids are instructed."

The Welsh party's education spokesperson the assembly member said "not just is this a total misuse of funding, it is a slight to our language".

"I cannot think of any valid reason to be allocating these funds annually, on blocking young people residing in Wales from having the chance to learn the Welsh tongue."

"Dual-language ability enhances experience and supports the development of young people, but the UK government is clearly blind to this."

"This money is a perfect example of the attitude of the Westminster parties regarding Wales and the native tongue - namely unawareness and disrespect."