MoD spends millions on private schools to avoid Welsh language

PUBLIC funds of around £1m a year are being spent by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to send employees’ children to private schools in Wales because state schools teach lessons in Welsh.

- ABBIE WIGHTWICK Education editor

The MoD forked out £1,019,000 in fees for 83 children of service personnel to attend private schools in north Wales in 2024-25, and £942,000 for 79 children in 2023-24, the BBC reports.

A spokesman for the MoD said that service children can face frequent moves and the allowance “aims to minimise disruption to their education.”

‘The allowance is for tuition fees up to a maximum £22,755 a year, or £7,585 per term, and is available to MoD staff living in Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Anglesey, or Flintshire and serving at RAF Valley on Anglesey, the joint services mountain training centre on Anglesey, joint services mountain training wing in Llanrwst, and the Wales University Officers’ Training Corps (UOTC) Bangor detachment in Caernarfon.

Plaid Cymru described the allowance spend as a “complete waste of money” and said it was “an insult to our language.”

‘The Conservatives responded saying parents should be able to choose what language their children are taught in at school.