MoD Spends Large Sums on Private Education to Bypass Welsh Education
The Ministry of Defence allocates around one million pounds each year to place children to independent schools in north Wales because "public schools teach some or all lessons in the Welsh language".
The ministry disbursed £1,019,000 in educational stipend in the northern region 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 policy.
An official representative said "service children can experience regular relocations" and the stipend "aims to minimize disruption to their schooling".
Plaid Cymru described it as a "complete waste of money" and "a disrespect to our tongue" while the Tory party argued parents should be able to select the language in which their kids are educated.
These numbers were acquired following a inquiry under the Freedom of Information Act.
The website of the military installation on the island informs its personnel, "for those residing and working in north Wales, where public schools teach various lessons in the Welsh language, you may choose to send your kids to an English-language private institution".
"As long as you are joined by your household at your duty station, you can use this benefit to pay for the cost of school charges, field study trips/residential learning programs and regular commuting."
A defense ministry representative told, "the aim of the educational stipend in North Wales (the allowance) is to assist military households posted to the region, where Welsh is the primary medium of local state education".
"Since relocation is a aspect of military career, military kids can face frequent moves and from DSA-NW aims to lessen interference to their learning."
"The MoD acknowledges the contributions military members, and their families make, and from DSA-NW helps with the expenses of independent day schooling given in English."
'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'
The allowance covers tuition fees up to a limit of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds annually, seven thousand five hundred eighty-five pounds each semester, and is accessible to personnel living in the counties of the county, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Anglesey or Flintshire and serving in one of the following establishments:
- The military base, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, the town
- The university military training program (UOTC), Bangor unit, the city
The qualifying independent institutions are Treffos institution, Llansadwrn, the island; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in Colwyn Bay; 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 regions where teaching in the state sector is on a bilingual or non-English foundation".
People stationed elsewhere in the three branches of the military - the Army, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can claim a educational continuity benefit which contributes towards residential and/or tuition fees up to a cap, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each eligible child.
Tory Senedd member Natasha Asghar said "members of the British armed forces move around the country and the world, and the ministry have always tried to guarantee that their children have availability to continuity in schooling".
"Although we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching throughout Wales, it's important to remember there are dual recognized tongues in our country, English and Welsh, and local councils and education authorities should provide for both."
"Parents should always have the choice to decide the medium in which their children are taught."
The Welsh party's education spokesperson the assembly member stated "not only is this a complete waste of money, it is an insult to our language".
"I cannot think of any valid reason to be spending these funds annually, on blocking young people residing in the country from having the chance to learn the Welsh language."
"Bilingualism enriches experience and supports the growth of youth, but the UK government 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 disrespect."