MoD Spends Millions on Private Education to Bypass Welsh Language Education
The Ministry of Defence spends around one million pounds each year to send children to independent educational institutions in north Wales because "public schools provide various classes in the Welsh tongue".
The ministry disbursed over one million pounds in educational stipend in north Wales for 83 children of military families in the current academic year, and £942,000 for seventy-nine students in the previous year under a established practice.
An official representative stated "military families' children can face regular relocations" and the stipend "seeks to minimize disruption to their education".
The Welsh party described it as a "complete waste of money" and "a disrespect to our tongue" while the Tory party said families should be able to select the medium in which their children are educated.
The figures were acquired following a inquiry under the public records law.
The online portal of the military installation on Anglesey informs its personnel, "for those residing and working in northern Wales, where state schools teach some or all classes in the Welsh language, you can opt to send your kids to an English-medium independent school".
"Provided you are accompanied by your family at your duty station, you can use this allowance to cover the cost of tuition fees, educational excursions/residential learning programs and daily transport."
A defense ministry representative told, "the purpose of Day School Allowance in the northern region (the allowance) is to assist service families posted to the region, where Welsh is the main language of local state education".
"Since relocation is a part of service life, service children can face regular transfers and the DSA-NW seeks to minimize disruption to their education."
"The ministry supports the sacrifices service personnel, and their relatives make, and from the stipend assists with the costs of private education provided in the English language."
'In Areas With Bilingual or Non-English Instruction'
The benefit includes school costs up to a limit of £22,755 annually, 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 the district and working in one of the following establishments:
- RAF Valley, the island
- The combined forces alpine training facility, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, Llanrwst
- Wales University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC), Bangor unit, the city
The qualifying private schools are Treffos school, Llansadwrn, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in the town; St Gerard's school, Bangor and St David's institution, Llandudno.
The relevant military policy document confirms that "disbursement of the stipend is limited to those areas where instruction in the public system is on a bilingual or non-English basis".
People stationed in other locations in the multiple services of the armed forces - the ground forces, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can apply for a educational continuity benefit which helps with residential and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each eligible child.
Tory assembly representative the politician commented "members of the UK military relocate across the country and the globe, and the ministry has always tried to guarantee that their children have availability to consistency in education".
"While we fully support Welsh-language teaching throughout Wales, it's important to recognize there are dual recognized tongues in our country, the English tongue and Welsh, and municipal authorities and education authorities should provide for each."
"Parents should always have the option to decide the language in which their kids are instructed."
The Welsh party's learning representative the assembly member said "not just is this a complete waste of funding, it is an insult to our tongue".
"I cannot think of any justifiable cause to be spending such money every year, on blocking young people living in the country from having the opportunity to acquire the Welsh language."
"Bilingualism enriches experience and supports the growth of young people, but the UK government is clearly unaware to this."
"This money is a clear illustration of the approach of the UK political groups regarding Wales and the Welsh language - namely ignorance and insults."
