Many teachers in Beijing this year will be absent from banquets held by families of high school graduates.

The Beijing National Day School released an open letter on its website recently to graduating students saying that the school appreciated the kindness from families but it asked teachers not to attend such banquets, the Beijing Youth Daily reported on Monday.

Instead, the school held an entertainment event to celebrate graduation.

Other schools in the capital also said that they did not encourage the "thank you banquet" for teachers.

Inviting teachers to a banquet to express their gratitude has become a popular practice in recent years among families of graduates, especially after high school students finished gaokao, or the national college entrance exams.