Planning and implementation of the pre-primary program

Excerpt from chapter 1

Planning and Implementation of the Pre-Primary Program

• Government announced the program in April 2017 with the initial phase to be implemented in September 2017, leaving the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development with a short time frame to properly plan for an entirely new program.  
• The Department did not analyze the full implementation costs of the program. 
• The Department prepared a risk assessment, but there is no formal process to continuously monitor risks. 
• Consultation with families and the childcare industry happened after the first year of implementation began. 
• The Department has not established specific and measurable goals to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. 
• Regional Centres for Education do not ensure Pre-Primary staff have completed required background checks or provided proof of qualifications before working in the classroom. 
• New Pre-Primary staff are not consistently provided orientation before working in the classroom. 
• Pre-Primary staff in the Department and at the Regional Centres for Education feel roles and responsibilities are unclear.