Ministry of Defence Spends Millions on Independent Education to Avoid Welsh Education

RAF Valley preparing British fighter pilots
RAF Valley trains British military aviators as well as personnel for mountain and maritime missions

The MoD allocates around one million pounds each year to place students to private schools in northern Wales because "public schools teach some or all classes in the Welsh language".

The ministry disbursed £1,019,000 in educational stipend in the northern region for 83 children of military families in 2024-2025, and nearly one million pounds for seventy-nine students in 2023-2024 under a established practice.

A spokesperson said "service children can face frequent moves" and the allowance "aims to minimize disruption to their education".

The Welsh party called it a "total misuse of money" and "a disrespect to our language" while the Conservatives said families should be able to select the medium in which their kids are taught.

Prince William worked at the base
The Duke of Cambridge served in RAF Valley from 2010 to 2013

These numbers were acquired following a request under the public records law.

The online portal of the military installation on Anglesey informs its workforce, "if you live and serve in north Wales, where state schools teach various lessons in the Welsh language, you can opt to enroll your children to an English-language independent school".

"As long as you are joined by your household at your duty station, you can utilize this benefit to cover the cost of school charges, educational excursions/residential educational courses and regular commuting."

A defense ministry representative told, "the aim of the educational stipend in the northern region (DSA-NW) is to support service families posted to the area, where the Welsh tongue is the main language of public schooling".

"Since relocation is a aspect of service life, military kids can face regular transfers and from this allowance seeks to lessen interference to their learning."

"The MoD acknowledges the sacrifices military members, and their families undertake, and from the stipend helps with the costs of independent day schooling given in English."

'In Areas With Bilingual or Non-English Instruction'

The benefit includes school costs up to a maximum of twenty-two thousand seven hundred fifty-five pounds annually, seven thousand five hundred eighty-five pounds per term, and is accessible to personnel residing in the counties of the county, the area, the locality, Anglesey or the district and working in one of the following establishments:

  • RAF Valley, the island
  • The combined forces alpine training facility, the island
  • Joint Services Mountain Training Wing, the town
  • The university military training program (the corps), Bangor unit, the city

The qualifying independent institutions are Treffos institution, Llansadwrn, Anglesey; Rydal Penrhos Prep school in the town; St Gerard's, the city and St David's College, the town.

The applicable joint service publication confirms that "payment of the stipend is limited to those areas where teaching in the public system is on a dual-language or non-English foundation".

Personnel serving in other locations in the three branches of the armed forces - the Army, the naval service and the Royal Air Force - can apply for a continuity of education allowance which contributes towards boarding and/or school charges up to a maximum rate, with a required family share of 10% for each eligible child.

Tory Senedd member the politician commented "personnel of the UK military relocate across the nation and the world, and the MoD has always tried to guarantee that their children have availability to continuity in education".

"While we strongly endorse Welsh-language teaching across the country, it's crucial to remember there are dual recognized tongues in our nation, English and the Welsh language, and municipal authorities and school boards should accommodate both."

"Families should always have the option to select the language in which their kids are instructed."

The Welsh party's learning representative the assembly member stated "not just is this a complete waste of funding, it is a slight to our tongue".

"I cannot think of any valid reason to be allocating such money every year, on preventing youth 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 clearly blind to this."

"This money is a clear illustration of the approach of the UK political groups towards Wales and the Welsh language - namely unawareness and insults."

Elizabeth Lee
Elizabeth Lee

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