The Xueersi School tutoring company has been ordered to suspend courses after it organized academic tutoring for high school students during the winter break, a notice said on Thursday. 

The office of the double reduction work group in Beijing's Xicheng district made the order public after receiving complaints, and found that Xueersi was in serious violation of government guidelines on reducing excessive academic workloads.

The company has been told to rectify its behavior within a set time-frame. 

The term "double reduction" refers to reducing the homework and tutoring burden of primary and middle school students. A central guideline on the matter was issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council in late July.

The guideline banned tutoring on weekends, public holidays and during the summer and winter vacations for primary and middle school students. Tutoring for high school students must also comply with the guideline. 

All companies are required to follow the guideline and not conduct any form of online or offline tutoring during these periods, under any guise, the office said, adding that it will strengthen regulation and hold violators accountable.

Xueersi is a subsidiary of major Beijing-based tutoring company, the TAL Education Group. It announced that it would stop all tutoring courses for primary and middle school students by the end of last year.