MoD Allocates Large Sums on Private Education to Avoid Welsh Teaching
The Ministry of Defence spends approximately £1m each year to place children to independent schools in northern Wales because "public schools provide some or all lessons in the Welsh tongue".
The ministry disbursed over one million pounds in day school allowance in the northern region for eighty-three students of service personnel in the current academic year, and £942,000 for seventy-nine students in the previous year under a longstanding policy.
A spokesperson stated "service children can experience frequent moves" and the stipend "seeks to minimize interruption to their education".
The Welsh party called it a "complete waste of funds" and "a disrespect to our language" while the Tory party said parents should be able to choose the language in which their kids are taught.
These numbers were obtained following a inquiry under the public records law.
The website of the military installation on Anglesey informs its workforce, "if you live and serve in north Wales, where state schools provide various lessons in the Welsh tongue, you may choose to send your kids to an English-language private institution".
"Provided you are accompanied by your household at your posting, you can use this allowance to cover the cost of school charges, field study trips/residential educational courses and daily transport."
A defense ministry representative explained, "the aim of Day School Allowance in North Wales (DSA-NW) is to support military households stationed to the area, where the Welsh tongue is the main language of local state education".
"Since relocation is a part of military career, service children can face regular transfers and from this allowance aims to minimize disruption to their learning."
"The ministry supports the sacrifices military members, and their families undertake, and through DSA-NW helps with the expenses of independent day schooling given in the English language."
'Where teaching is bilingual or non-English'
The benefit includes school costs up to a maximum of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds a year, £7,585 each semester, and is available to personnel living in the counties of Conwy, Denbighshire, the locality, Anglesey or Flintshire and working in these specific locations:
- The military base, the island
- The combined forces alpine training facility, the island
- The joint military mountain unit, Llanrwst
- The university military training program (UOTC), Bangor detachment, Caernarfon
The eligible independent institutions are Treffos school, the village, the island; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in Colwyn Bay; St Gerard's, the city and St David's College, the town.
The relevant joint service publication confirms that "payment of the allowance is limited to those areas where teaching in the public system is on a dual-language or non-English foundation".
People stationed elsewhere in the multiple services of the armed forces - the Army, the Royal Navy and the air service - can apply for a continuity of education allowance which contributes towards residential and/or school charges up to a cap, with a minimum parental contribution of ten percent for each eligible child.
Tory assembly representative the politician commented "members of the UK military move around the country and the world, and the MoD have always sought to guarantee that their kids have access to continuity in schooling".
"While we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching across Wales, it's important to recognize there are two official languages in our nation, English and Welsh, and local councils and education authorities should provide for both."
"Parents should always have the choice to decide the language in which their children are taught."
The Welsh party's learning representative the assembly member stated "not only is this a complete waste of money, it is an insult to our tongue".
"I cannot think of any justifiable cause to be spending these funds annually, on preventing youth living in the country from having the opportunity to acquire the Welsh language."
"Dual-language ability enriches life and supports the development of young people, but the UK government is clearly unaware to this."
"This money is a clear illustration of the approach of the Westminster parties regarding the nation and the native tongue - namely ignorance and disrespect."