MoD Spends Millions on Independent Schools to Bypass Welsh Language Teaching
The Ministry of Defence spends approximately one million pounds annually to place children to private schools in north Wales because "public schools provide some or all classes in the Welsh language".
It paid £1,019,000 in day school allowance in the northern region for 83 children of military families in 2024-2025, and £942,000 for 79 children in the previous year under a established practice.
An official representative said "military families' children can face regular relocations" and the stipend "aims to reduce disruption to their education".
Plaid Cymru called it a "complete waste of money" and "a disrespect to our tongue" while the Tory party said families should be able to select the language in which their children are educated.
The figures were acquired following a inquiry under the public records law.
The website of the military installation on the island informs its workforce, "if you live and serve in northern Wales, where public schools provide some or all classes in the Welsh tongue, you can opt to enroll your kids to an English-language private institution".
"Provided you are joined by your household at your duty station, you can utilize this allowance to cover the cost of school charges, educational excursions/residential educational courses and daily transport."
An MoD spokesperson explained, "the aim of Day School Allowance in the northern region (DSA-NW) is to support military households posted to the region, where the Welsh tongue is the primary medium of public schooling".
"Since relocation is a aspect of military career, service children can encounter regular transfers and the this allowance aims to lessen interference to their education."
"The ministry acknowledges the contributions military members, and their families undertake, and through the stipend assists with the costs of private education given in English."
'In Areas With Bilingual or Non-English Instruction'
The allowance covers tuition fees up to a maximum of £22,755 annually, £7,585 per term, and is accessible to personnel residing in the regions of the county, the area, Gwynedd, Anglesey or Flintshire and working in these specific locations:
- The military base, Anglesey
- Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, Anglesey
- The joint military mountain unit, the town
- The university military training program (UOTC), Bangor unit, Caernarfon
The eligible private schools are Treffos institution, the village, the island; Rydal Penrhos preparatory institution in Colwyn Bay; St Gerard's, the city and St David's College, the town.
The relevant joint service publication states that "payment of the allowance is limited to those areas where teaching in the public system is on a bilingual or non-English foundation".
People serving elsewhere in the three branches of the armed forces - the Army, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can claim a educational continuity benefit which helps with boarding and/or school charges up to a cap, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each qualifying student.
Tory Senedd member the politician commented "members of the UK military move around the nation and the globe, and the MoD have always tried to guarantee that their children have availability to continuity in schooling".
"Although we fully support Welsh-medium education across Wales, it's crucial to remember there are dual recognized tongues in our nation, English and Welsh, and local councils and school boards should accommodate both."
"Families should always have the choice to decide the language in which their kids are instructed."
The Welsh party's education spokesperson the assembly member stated "not just is this a total misuse of funding, it is an insult to our language".
"It's hard to imagine any justifiable cause to be spending these funds annually, on blocking youth residing in Wales from having the chance to acquire the Welsh tongue."
"Bilingualism enriches life and supports the development of young people, but the UK government is clearly blind to this."
"This money is a perfect example of the approach of the Westminster parties regarding the nation and the native tongue - namely unawareness and insults."
