Ministry of Defence Allocates Large Sums on Independent Education to Avoid Welsh Education

The Ministry of Defence allocates approximately one million pounds each year to send students to private schools in north Wales because "public schools teach various classes in the Welsh tongue".

It paid £1,019,000 in educational stipend in the northern region for 83 children of military families in the current academic year, and nearly one million pounds for seventy-nine students in the previous year under a longstanding practice.

A spokesperson said "service children can face frequent moves" and the stipend "aims to minimize disruption to their schooling".

Plaid Cymru called it a "complete waste of money" and "a disrespect to our tongue" while the Conservatives said parents should be able to select the medium in which their kids are taught.

The figures were acquired following a inquiry under the public records law.

The online portal of RAF Valley on Anglesey informs its personnel, "if you live and serve in northern Wales, where public schools teach some or all lessons in the Welsh language, you can opt to send your kids to an English-language private institution".

"Provided you are accompanied by your household at your posting, you can utilize this allowance to pay for the expense of tuition fees, field study trips/residential learning programs and regular commuting."

A defense ministry representative explained, "the purpose of the educational stipend in North Wales (the allowance) is to support military households stationed to the area, where the Welsh tongue is the primary medium of local state education".

"As mobility is a aspect of service life, service children can face regular transfers and from this allowance seeks to minimize disruption to their education."

"The ministry acknowledges the sacrifices service personnel, and their relatives undertake, and from the stipend helps with the expenses of independent day schooling provided in English."

'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'

The benefit covers school costs up to a limit of £22,755 annually, £7,585 each semester, and is accessible to personnel living in the regions of the county, the area, Gwynedd, Anglesey or Flintshire and working in these specific locations:

• RAF Valley, Anglesey
• Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, Anglesey
• The joint military mountain unit, the town
• The university military training program (UOTC), Bangor detachment, the city

The eligible private schools are Treffos institution, the village, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in the town; St Gerard's school, Bangor and St David's College, Llandudno.

The applicable military policy document confirms that "payment of the allowance is restricted to those areas where instruction in the state sector is on a dual-language or non-English basis".

People stationed elsewhere in the three branches of the armed forces - the ground forces, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can claim a continuity of education allowance which contributes towards residential and/or tuition fees up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each eligible child.

Tory assembly representative Natasha Asghar commented "members of the British armed forces relocate across the country and the world, and the ministry have always tried to guarantee that their kids have access to continuity in education".

"While we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching across Wales, it's crucial to recognize there are two official languages in our nation, English and Welsh, and municipal authorities and school boards should accommodate each."

"Families should always have the choice to select the language in which their kids are instructed."

The Welsh party's education spokesperson the assembly member said "not just is this a complete waste of money, it is an insult to our tongue".

"It's hard to imagine any justifiable cause to be allocating these funds every year, on preventing youth living in the country from having the chance to learn the Welsh language."

"Bilingualism enhances experience and supports the development of youth, but the British administration is clearly unaware to this."

"These funds is a clear illustration of the approach of the Westminster parties regarding Wales and the native tongue - namely ignorance and disrespect."