Ministry of Defence Allocates Large Sums on Private Schools to Bypass Welsh Language Teaching
The MoD allocates around £1m each year to place students to private schools in north Wales because "state schools provide various lessons in the Welsh tongue".
It paid over one million pounds in educational stipend in north Wales for eighty-three students of service personnel in the current academic year, and nearly one million pounds for 79 children in the previous year under a established policy.
An official representative said "military families' children can face regular relocations" and the stipend "aims to reduce disruption to their education".
Plaid Cymru described it as a "total misuse of money" and "a disrespect to our language" while the Conservatives argued families should be able to choose the medium in which their children are educated.
The figures were acquired following a inquiry under the public records law.
The website of RAF Valley on the island informs its workforce, "for those residing and working in north Wales, where public schools teach various lessons in the Welsh tongue, you can opt to send your kids to an English-language private institution".
"Provided you are joined by your family at your duty station, you can use this benefit to pay for the expense of tuition fees, field study trips/residential educational courses and regular commuting."
An MoD spokesperson explained, "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 primary medium of public schooling".
"Since relocation is a aspect of military career, military kids can face regular transfers and from DSA-NW seeks to minimize interference to their education."
"The ministry supports the sacrifices service personnel, and their families make, and from the stipend helps with the expenses of private education given in the English language."
'In Areas With Bilingual or Non-English Instruction'
The benefit covers tuition fees up to a maximum of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds annually, seven thousand five hundred eighty-five pounds per term, and is accessible to personnel residing in the counties of the county, the area, Gwynedd, Anglesey or Flintshire and working in one of the following establishments:
- RAF Valley, Anglesey
- The combined forces alpine training facility, Anglesey
- The joint military mountain unit, Llanrwst
- Wales University Officers' Training Corps (the corps), Bangor detachment, the city
The eligible independent institutions are Treffos institution, Llansadwrn, the island; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in the town; St Gerard's, the city and St David's College, Llandudno.
The relevant military policy document confirms that "disbursement of the stipend is restricted to those areas where instruction in the public system is on a dual-language or non-English foundation".
People serving elsewhere in the multiple services of the armed forces - the ground forces, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can apply for a continuity of education allowance which contributes towards residential and/or tuition fees up to a cap, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each qualifying student.
Welsh Conservative assembly representative Natasha Asghar commented "personnel of the British armed forces relocate across the nation and the globe, and the ministry have always tried to ensure that their kids have access to continuity in education".
"Although we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching throughout the country, it's crucial to remember there are dual recognized tongues in our nation, the English tongue and the Welsh language, and local councils and school boards should provide for both."
"Families should always have the choice to decide the language in which their kids are taught."
The Welsh party's education spokesperson the assembly member said "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 spending such money every year, on preventing young people residing in the country from having the opportunity to learn the Welsh language."
"Bilingualism enriches life and supports the development of youth, but the British administration is clearly unaware to this."
"This money is a clear illustration of the attitude of the Westminster parties regarding the nation and the Welsh language - namely unawareness and disrespect."
