Minban (non-government-run) teachers are those who teach at primary and secondary schools but are not listed in the roster of state-employed teachers. They are a special group of job-holders who make up a shortage of teachers for elementary education in rural areas. Minban (non-government-run)teachers generally have had a junior middle school education or more, are nominated by a local grassroots organization and examined and approved to teach by county-level education authorities. They are different from farmers and also from teachers in cities. In livelihood-related treatment, Minban (non-government-run)teachers are given land to till as well as receive a state subsidy. In 1977 there were 4.91 million Minban (non-government-run)teachers nationwide, a historical record. In recent years, the state has taken a series of measures to reduce the number of Minban (non-government-run)teachers. Such measures include: conversion of the status of qualified Minban (non-government-run)teachers into that of the state-hired teacher, enrollment of Minban (non-government-run)teachers by normal schools, dismissal of unqualified Minban (non-government-run)teachers, early retirement of old Minban (non-government-run)teachers and suspension of hiring any new Minban (non-government-run)teachers. By 2000, all qualified Minban (non-government-run)teachers had been given the status of the state-hired teacher.