In response to growing challenges posed by emergencies such as natural disasters, public health crises, and critical incidents, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning has recognized the urgent need to enhance its emergency management capabilities. Enhancing preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation capacities extends beyond the department, more broadly to partners in the early learning and childcare (ELCC) and kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) sectors. In April 2022, the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) released a report evaluating the department’s response to the pandemic. The OAG identified significant gaps in emergency preparedness, response coordination, and communication across the department and its partners in the early learning and K-12 education sectors. The report included eight recommendations aimed at strengthening the department’s emergency readiness and response systems. The department has publicly committed to implementing all of these recommendations—four of which are directly tied to the establishment of a comprehensive emergency management program. To address these needs and commitments, the department is undertaking a project to procure and implement a modern, cloud-based emergency management software solution. This platform will provide real-time situational awareness, seamless communication, and effective coordination tools for managing emergency events across the education and early childhood sectors. It will serve as a foundational component of the department’s broader strategy to build resilience, empowering and supporting the ELCC and K-12 sectors, to ensure the safety and well-being of children, students, and staff, and reduce disruptions to learning and care during crisis situations.
