Overview
The CAPES (Certificat d'Aptitude au Professorat de l'Enseignement Secondaire) was Tunisia's competition for recruiting secondary school teachers. It no longer exists. In January 2012 the Ministry of Education confirmed that the 2010 session was the last one and that teacher recruitment would follow the general rules for public service hiring.
Today the Ministry of Education recruits secondary teachers through an external competition by tests (in Arabic, المناظرة الخارجية بالاختبارات) for secondary education teachers, technical education teachers and vocational education teachers. In 2026 the Minister of Education opened this competition by an order dated 11 February 2026, published in the Official Journal (JORT). Many Tunisians still call it "the CAPES", but in February 2026 the Minister of Education said the competition has no connection to the CAPES.
The Ministry's own websites (education.gov.tn and edunet.tn) could not be reached when this page was checked, so the facts below come from Tunisian news reports of the Ministry's notices. Confirm every detail on the official site before applying.
Who can apply
For 2026, reports of the opening notice gave these conditions:
A national licence (bachelor's) degree or higher, or a foreign degree recognised as equivalent.
Aged 40 or under on 1 January 2026. Candidates over 40 could still apply if they could prove actual public service work or registration as unemployed, within the limits set by the rules.
Exam pattern
The 2026 competition had two phases.
| Phase | What it involved (2026) |
|---|---|
| Preliminary admission | A multiple-choice test of 60 questions, each with four options and one correct answer, on core knowledge from the official school curriculum of the candidate's subject |
| Final admission | Written and oral tests for candidates who passed the preliminary phase |
Books, notes and electronic devices are banned in the test room. Reports of the Ministry's notice said cheating can lead to a ban from recruitment competitions of up to five years.
Subjects and posts
The 2026 competition offered 1,630 posts across 14 subjects:
| Subject | Posts (2026) |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | 390 |
| Arabic | 320 |
| Physical sciences | 185 |
| Islamic education and thought | 180 |
| Technical education | 165 |
| History and geography | 95 |
| Life and earth sciences | 65 |
| Civic education | 50 |
| French | 50 |
| Philosophy | 40 |
| Economics | 20 |
| Management | 20 |
| Technical subjects: mechanics | 25 |
| Technical subjects: electricity | 25 |
Important dates
For the 2026 session:
Online registration closed on 14 March 2026, and paper files were due by 27 March 2026.
The opening notice set the tests to start on 13 April 2026. The preliminary multiple-choice test was in fact held in mid-May 2026: 66,125 candidates sat it at 67 centres in 26 regional education directorates.
The final results were published on 9 September 2026.
The Ministry opens a new competition by order, so check for a new notice each year.
How to apply
In 2026, candidates first registered online through the education network portal (edunet.tn) and printed the application form. They then gave a paper file to the regional education directorate for the address on their national ID card. The file held the form, a tax stamp, a copy of the national ID card and a copy of the degree (with an equivalence certificate for foreign degrees). Applications without online registration or with missing documents were rejected. Test summonses and results were also published on edunet.tn.
After the exam
Reports of the Ministry's statements said that successful candidates are recruited directly and start teaching at the next school year.
Preparation tips
The preliminary test is based on the official secondary school curriculum for your subject, so revise the full programme for the levels you would teach.
Practise timed multiple-choice questions, since only candidates who pass this test go on to the written and oral tests.
Watch edunet.tn for the opening notice, the summons and the results, since deadlines are short.
FAQs
Is the CAPES still held in Tunisia?
No. The Ministry of Education confirmed in 2012 that the 2010 session was the last. Secondary teachers are now recruited through the Ministry's external competition by tests.
Is the 2026 competition the same as the CAPES?
No. It recruits the same kind of teachers, but the Ministry has said it is a separate competition and not a return of the CAPES.
Where are results published?
On the education network portal, edunet.tn. The 2026 final results appeared there on 9 September 2026.