MoD Spends Millions on Private Schools to Avoid Welsh Teaching
The MoD allocates approximately £1m each year to place children to independent schools in north Wales because "state schools teach various classes in the Welsh language".
It paid over one million pounds in day school allowance in north Wales for 83 children of military families in 2024-2025, and £942,000 for 79 children in 2023-2024 under a established policy.
An official representative said "military families' children can experience regular relocations" and the stipend "seeks to reduce interruption to their schooling".
Plaid Cymru called it a "total misuse of funds" and "a disrespect to our tongue" while the Tory party argued parents should be able to select the medium in which their children are taught.
These numbers were acquired following a inquiry under the public records law.
The website 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 may choose to send your kids to an English-language private institution".
"Provided you are joined by your household at your posting, you can use this allowance to pay for the expense of tuition fees, educational excursions/residential learning programs and regular commuting."
An MoD spokesperson told, "the aim of Day School Allowance in the northern region (the allowance) is to assist military households stationed to the region, where the Welsh tongue is the main language of public schooling".
"As mobility is a aspect of service life, military kids can face regular transfers and from DSA-NW seeks to lessen interference to their learning."
"The ministry supports the sacrifices service personnel, and their relatives make, and from the stipend assists with the costs of private education given in English."
'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'
The benefit covers school costs up to a limit of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds annually, £7,585 per term, and is accessible to personnel residing in the counties of Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, the island or Flintshire and working in one of the following establishments:
- The military base, Anglesey
- The combined forces alpine training facility, the island
- The joint military mountain unit, Llanrwst
- The university military training program (the corps), Bangor detachment, the city
The qualifying private schools are Treffos institution, the village, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in the town; St Gerard's school, the city and St David's College, Llandudno.
The applicable military policy document states that "payment of the allowance is limited to those areas where instruction in the state sector is on a bilingual or non-English basis".
People stationed elsewhere in the multiple services of the military - the Army, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can apply for a educational continuity benefit which contributes towards boarding and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each eligible child.
Tory Senedd member the politician commented "members of the UK military move around the nation and the world, and the ministry have always tried to ensure that their children have availability to consistency in education".
"Although we fully support Welsh-medium education throughout Wales, it's crucial to recognize there are dual recognized tongues in our nation, the English tongue and the Welsh language, and local councils and education authorities should accommodate each."
"Families should always have the choice to select the medium in which their kids are taught."
Plaid Cymru's learning representative the assembly member said "not just is this a complete waste of funding, it is a slight to our tongue".
"It's hard to imagine any valid reason to be spending these funds annually, on blocking young people residing in Wales from having the opportunity to learn the Welsh language."
"Bilingualism enhances experience and aids the growth of youth, but the British administration is obviously unaware to this."
"These funds is a perfect example of the attitude of the UK political groups regarding the nation and the Welsh language - namely ignorance and disrespect."
