MoD Allocates Millions on Private Schools to Avoid Welsh Education
The MoD allocates around £1m each year to place children to private schools in northern Wales because "public schools teach various lessons in the Welsh tongue".
The ministry disbursed over one million pounds in educational stipend 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 established practice.
A spokesperson stated "service children can face frequent moves" and the allowance "seeks to reduce interruption to their education".
Plaid Cymru called it a "total misuse of money" and "an insult to our tongue" while the Tory party argued families should be able to choose the medium in which their children are taught.
These numbers were acquired following a inquiry under the public records law.
The online portal of the military installation on the island informs its personnel, "for those residing and working in northern Wales, where state schools teach some or all lessons in the Welsh language, you can opt to send your kids to an English-medium private institution".
"Provided you are joined by your family at your posting, you can use this benefit to cover the expense of tuition fees, field study trips/residential educational courses and daily transport."
An MoD spokesperson explained, "the purpose of Day School Allowance in the northern region (the allowance) is to support military households stationed to the region, where Welsh is the primary medium of local state education".
"Since relocation is a aspect of service life, service children can encounter frequent moves and the this allowance aims to minimize interference to their learning."
"The ministry supports the contributions military members, and their families make, and through the stipend assists with the costs of independent day schooling provided in the English language."
'In Areas With Bilingual or Non-English Instruction'
The allowance includes tuition fees up to a limit of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds annually, seven thousand five hundred eighty-five pounds per term, and is accessible to personnel living in the counties of Conwy, the area, Gwynedd, Anglesey or Flintshire and serving in one of the following establishments:
- The military base, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, the island
- Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, Llanrwst
- The university military training program (UOTC), Bangor unit, Caernarfon
The eligible private schools are Treffos school, the village, the island; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in the town; St Gerard's, the city and St David's College, Llandudno.
The relevant joint service publication states that "disbursement of the stipend is restricted to those areas where instruction in the public system is on a dual-language or non-English basis".
People stationed elsewhere in the three branches of the military - the ground forces, the naval service and the air service - can apply for a continuity of education allowance which contributes towards boarding and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of 10% for each eligible child.
Welsh Conservative assembly representative the politician commented "members of the British armed forces relocate across the country and the globe, and the MoD has always sought to guarantee that their children have access to consistency in education".
"Although we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching across the country, it's crucial to remember there are two official languages in our nation, the English tongue and Welsh, and local councils and school boards should accommodate both."
"Families should always have the option to select the language in which their children are instructed."
The Welsh party's education spokesperson the assembly member stated "not only is this a complete waste of funding, it is a slight to our language".
"It's hard to imagine any justifiable cause to be spending such money every year, on preventing youth residing in Wales from having the chance to learn the Welsh tongue."
"Dual-language ability enriches life and aids the growth of young people, but the British administration is obviously blind to this."
"These funds is a clear illustration of the attitude of the UK political groups regarding Wales and the native tongue - namely ignorance and insults."