Let's plan an educated future

The Central Coast region was established, the Central Coast Council was established, new councillors elected and now where to?

It seems that with a population of some 360,000 people consisting of thousands of young people and children and only 10.9 per cent of them going on to University while the national average is 16.1 per cent, as a community and region, we should be doing some generational planning for the future.

Not for the next three to five years but for the next 15 to 30 years.

The Central Coast Region has the sixth largest council area in Australia, so what do we need?

We need to be recognised and funded accordingly.

I believe that we need to ensure that the next generations of Central Coast school students and young people are given every opportunity to grow, develop and learn so that their contribution to the future is positive and rewarding.

Now is the time for some futuristic vision for this beautiful part of the country.

We could start with our own university or community college.

We need the Central Coast to break away from the apron strings of Newcastle and Sydney and make its own proud future.

We can encourage business growth and investment but we need to provide the opportunity for our own people to stay on the Coast and continue their post-secondary education and training right here.

While the development of the Medical Research Centre at Gosford Hospital is wonderful, we have an obligation and inherent responsibility to provide opportunity and choice for all the next generation of Coasties that want to expand their knowledge and skills and continue their post-secondary education and training.

Let's not be remembered for "dumbing down" our prodigy.

Let's plan for and build a sustainable education and training future for our next generations here on the Coast.

Email, 29 Sep 2017

Bob Puffett, Woy Woy Bay