By Ester Paulus TSUMEB A considerable number of grade 8 learners from Tsumeb are still waiting to be placed in schools after being turned down by various high schools in the town. The Regional Councillor of the Tsumeb Constituency, Tobias Lebbius, who has been looking for schools meant for those learners, said about 40 learners have not yet found placement. Lebbius said the problem might have been caused by learners who have to repeat Grades 8 and 9. “We hope that by end of this week, most learners should be able to find placements in the various schools of Tsumeb.” The councillor cautioned school principals against not readmitting learners who have failed, saying he does not want to see learners dismissed from school because they have failed, to be promoted to the next grade or because they cannot pay school fees. Lebbius called on all principals at government schools to adhere to the country’s constitution and to the education act as they are government representatives on school levels. “Policies and the education Acts are being sent to them, but some principals put those documents aside and they run government schools according to their own rules such as turning down failures and those who cannot afford to pay school fees.” He further called on parents who are unable to pay schools fees to prove it to school authorities and that principals should be ready to listen to those parents. He also urged education inspectors to start monitoring whether or not education policies are being implemented by principals at government schools. The councillor further called on learners to start working hard and to refrain from indulging in bad habits such as alcohol and drug abuse and sexual intercourse, saying this leads to HIV infections and teenage pregnancies.