BEIJING -- Nearly 1.3 million rural teachers received living subsidies in China in 2016, 346,000 more than in 2015, the Ministry of Education said Thursday.

Living subsidies covered 96.6 percent of rural teachers in impoverished areas last year, according to the ministry.

The subsidies benefited 81,000 schools in total in 2016, an increase of 14,000 from 2015, the ministry said.