Pretoria - The Mpumalanga Education Department has refuted claims by teacher union, SAOU, that schooling would be interrupted in the new year.
The Suid Afrikaanse Onderwyserunie (SAOU) said that a vacancy list issued by the department would affect the operations of schools when learners returned after the year-end holidays.
"The intention of issuing the vacancy list is to ensure that all schools have the required educators before schools re-open," said the department in a statement.
The department said it went into a joint agreement with unions - including SAOU - in April 2010 to ensure that the process of identifying and transferring teachers would be done and dusted by 31 December 2010.
Contracts of temporary educators, who are already re-employed or approved for re-employment, will be extended up to 31 December 2010 in approved posts.
The closed vacancy list was issued in November 2010, and the due date for applications was 9 December 2010.
The department urged schools to finalise any outstanding matters with regards to the placement of teachers, even if it meant doing it over the holidays.
"The expectation is that School Governing Bodies (SGBs) of the affected schools would make it their obligation to accelerate the process, so that by January 2011 the majority of educators are placed accordingly.
"There is no law in this country that prevents the operation of SGBs when schools are closed," it said.
The department reiterated its commitment to staying involved in the process, and said a review of it would be undertaken when necessary.
It called on unions to approach it they needed assistance or had queries.
