Manitoba Education was not prepared for pandemic but was able to respond: auditor

Manitoba's auditor general says the Education Department was not prepared for the pandemic, but responded effectively to COVID-19.

A report from the auditor's office says the department had not considered risks to schools ahead of time and had no co-ordinated emergency plan.

The report also says the department was not prepared for a transition to remote learning.

Despite that, the report says, the department was able to provide support to schools and put in place incident management.

The auditor general makes eight recommendations, which include improving internet connectivity so that online learning is available across the province.

The government says it is working on improvements, and points to a recent deal with Xplornet Communications to expand broadband services in 350 rural and northern communities.