MoD Spends Large Sums on Independent Education to Avoid Welsh Language Teaching
The Ministry of Defence allocates around one million pounds annually to send children to independent schools in northern Wales because "public schools provide some or all lessons in the Welsh language".
The ministry disbursed £1,019,000 in day school allowance in north Wales for eighty-three students of military families in the current academic year, and nearly one million pounds for 79 children in the previous year under a longstanding practice.
A spokesperson stated "service children can experience regular relocations" and the allowance "seeks to reduce disruption to their education".
The Welsh party described it as a "complete waste of money" and "a disrespect to our tongue" while the Conservatives argued families should be able to select the language in which their children are taught.
These numbers were obtained following a inquiry under the public records law.
The website of the military installation on the island informs its personnel, "if you live and serve in north Wales, where public schools teach some or all lessons in the Welsh language, you can opt to send your kids to an English-language independent school".
"Provided you are joined by your household at your duty station, you can utilize this allowance to cover the expense of tuition fees, educational excursions/residential learning programs and daily transport."
An MoD spokesperson explained, "the purpose of the educational stipend in the northern region (DSA-NW) is to assist service families posted to the region, where Welsh is the primary medium of public schooling".
"Since relocation is a aspect of service life, service children can face regular transfers and from this allowance aims to minimize interference to their education."
"The ministry acknowledges the sacrifices military members, and their families make, and from the stipend assists with the costs of private education given in English."
'In Areas With Bilingual or Non-English Instruction'
The benefit includes school costs up to a limit of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds annually, £7,585 per term, and is available to people living in the counties of the county, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, the island or Flintshire and working in these specific locations:
- RAF Valley, the island
- The combined forces alpine training facility, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, the town
- The university military training program (UOTC), Bangor detachment, Caernarfon
The qualifying private schools are Treffos institution, Llansadwrn, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in Colwyn Bay; St Gerard's school, the city and St David's institution, Llandudno.
The applicable joint service publication confirms that "disbursement of the stipend is limited to those regions 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 armed forces - the Army, the naval service and the air service - can apply for a continuity of education allowance which helps with residential and/or tuition fees up to a cap, with a minimum parental contribution of 10% for each qualifying student.
Welsh Conservative Senedd member the politician commented "members of the British armed forces move around the country and the globe, and the MoD have always sought to guarantee that their kids have availability to continuity in education".
"Although we strongly endorse Welsh-medium education throughout the country, it's crucial to recognize there are two official languages in our country, the English tongue and Welsh, and local councils and school boards should provide for both."
"Parents should always have the choice to select the language in which their children are taught."
The Welsh party's learning representative the assembly member said "not only is this a total misuse of funding, it is a slight to our language".
"I cannot think of any justifiable cause to be allocating such money every year, on blocking young people residing in the country from having the chance to acquire the Welsh language."
"Dual-language ability enhances life and aids the growth of young people, but the UK government is clearly unaware to this."
"These funds is a clear illustration of the approach of the Westminster parties regarding the nation and the Welsh language - namely unawareness and insults."
