BEIJING — China has more than 15 million full-time teachers nationwide, according to the Ministry of Education.

The ministry said that there are 15.39 million teachers working in the country’s schools, colleges and universities in 2015, marking an increase of 280,000 teachers since 2014.

Among these teachers, a total of 2.05 million work in preschool education, 1.57 million are college or university teachers, and 50,000 are special education teachers, according to the ministry.

The ministry has launched a series of campaigns to improve the professional quality and treatment of teachers in rural areas, with the central government earmarking 2.98 billion yuan ($446 million) in subsidies for them this year.

A pilot program for qualification exams and registration of teachers is also being launched, the ministry said.

In 2015, more than 1.78 million people applied to register as first-time teachers, with 98.36 percent approved.