About 38 of the 40 accused people were in court on Thursday.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) confirmed the 40 were arrested in connection with the R114 million Mpumalanga Department of Basic Education corruption case.
Lieutenant Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, said the accused face charges of corruption, fraud, theft, money laundering, and contraventions of the Public Finance Management Act.
They were previously granted bail of between R5000 and R50 000, when they last appeared in court, last month.
Two did not appear, due to ill-health.
The court then authorised warrants of arrest for both.