Two high school girls in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality jumped to their death earlier this week because of the high pressures of school, a local educational official said Thursday.

The two 16-year-old girls, Chen Wei and Chen Yanling, were students from Bashan Township High School in Zhongxian County, the official from the county's educational bureau said.

The girls, embracing, jumped from the roof of a bank building in Bashan Township Monday evening, police investigation showed.

Police ruled out the possibility of murder after initial investigation.

Police found seven letters the girls left to their parents, teachers and friends.

They said in the letters that they thought they could feel release by ending their lives.

"I don't like this world. The pressure from study makes me feel suffocated, and I'm afraid that one day you might feel disappointed at my poor school performance, so I have to choose to leave you," said one girl in her letter.

The high school where the two girls studied is locally known for its high college entrance rate.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of Chinese students compete for the limited seats in colleges and universities. Going to college is considered the major, if not only, way to have a promising future.

(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2004)