Two students were reported dead after jumping from their campus dorm in Linli County, Hunan province on Monday.

The high school students left a note citing academic pressure as the reason behind their suicide. The boys were identified as studying at Linli No. 1 Middle School. They were both first grade seniors who said they could no longer handle the pressure of studying.

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The two went to the fifth floor of the building and jumped just a few minutes after midnight.

The public security office of Linli received a report of the boys’ death around 1 a.m. on Monday.

Authorities found the notes where the boys expressed their anxiety over low scores that did not meet targets. They indicated feeling pressure and that their scores also did not meet the expectation of their parents.

In May, China Daily said the Blue Book of Education 2014 examined causes of suicides by 79 elementary and high school students from last year. The data recorded that 93% of these incidents were caused by high academic pressure and teacher-student arguments.

The report also said most suicide incidents occur during February to July. This is when determining exams, zhongkao and gaokao, are conducted to know which high school or university a student can enrol.

The education system in China has been focused in getting good scores during exams and memorizing school textbooks. This has been greatly criticized as studies show it as reasons behind student suicides.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has started to reform the exam-driven curriculum. This would mean more choices for students after a comprehensive evaluation system has been introduced. However, current middle school students cannot benefit from the new system.

TagsHunan Province, Linlo No.1 Middle School, China Daily, Blue Book of Education 2014