Sir: The recent cases of fake degrees and certificates makes one question not only the politicians but also the higher education system in Pakistan itself. Education is considered one of the prior qualities to judge a man for a particular job. It is of extreme significance that we nurture our youth in a way that makes education as essential as food for one’s survival. However, recent developments in Pakistan in this regard seem to speak otherwise. In the last five years, there has been negligible service given to universities, colleges and schools in the government or the private sector from the state. In addition to this, the few reputed universities that do provide standard education have increased their tuition fees to such levels that they have become only a dream for the underprivileged. As a result, talent is constantly being suppressed under the pressure of financial constraints and basic survival in these hard times. There is a dire need for the new upcoming government to reserve funds and duly concentrate on the development of secondary and higher education. We have Europe as an example: it was rescued from the Dark Ages by the miracle of the Renaissance, moving further ahead to develop benchmarks such as Oxford and Cambridge in the world of education. We can only hope that the new government stresses giving incentives and encourages the upcoming generation in playing its part in the revolution by redefining and improving our education system. This effort is the only thing that can stand as a silver lining in the dark clouds of misery, discontent, terrorism and dilemmas that surround our country. SHIREEN FATIMA Via e-mail