LAHORE, Jan 16: Education Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman has said the government is making efforts to provide purposeful and professional modern education to children to make them useful citizens, says a handout.

He claimed some 118,000 children had been enrolled in Lahore raising the total strength of students in public sector schools to 673,000.

Addressing a delegation of students at his office on Wednesday, the minister said 450 NFBE centres were being opened in Lahore district.

He said Rs4 billion would be spent to provide necessary facilities in primary and middle schools, whereas Rs5.2 million would be spent to upgrade girls middle schools.

He said social workers should create awareness about social taboos as well as poverty issues to reduce dropouts.