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Concours ENS Buea practice questions

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Question 1General knowledge and current affairs

Which Cameroonian city hosts the annual National Day military parade reviewed by the Head of State on 20 May?

  1. Buea
  2. Garoua
  3. Yaoundé Correct answer.
  4. Douala

Explanation

The 20 May National Day parade is traditionally reviewed in Yaoundé, the political capital, where the Head of State presides over the ceremony at the Boulevard du 20 Mai. Douala is the economic capital and hosts celebrations too, but the central national parade is held in Yaoundé.

Question 2General knowledge and current affairs

Cameroon's National Day commemorates which historical event of 1972?

  1. The referendum approving the unitary state Correct answer.
  2. Independence from France
  3. The reunification of Southern Cameroons with La République
  4. The creation of the CEMAC customs union

Explanation

On 20 May 1972 Cameroonians voted in a referendum that approved replacing the federal structure with a unitary state, and this is the event commemorated as National Day. Reunification is celebrated separately on 1 January, and independence from France on 1 January 1960.

Question 3General knowledge and current affairs

Which body is the upper chamber of Cameroon's Parliament under the 1996 constitutional revision?

  1. The Economic and Social Council
  2. The National Assembly
  3. The Constitutional Council
  4. The Senate Correct answer.

Explanation

The 1996 revision of the Constitution created a bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate, with the Senate sitting as the upper chamber. The Constitutional Council and the Economic and Social Council are separate institutions, not chambers of Parliament.

Question 4General knowledge and current affairs

In Cameroon's administrative organisation, a Region is headed by which official?

  1. A Mayor
  2. A Subdivisional Officer
  3. A Governor Correct answer.
  4. A Divisional Officer

Explanation

Regions are administered by Governors appointed by the President, while divisions are headed by Divisional Officers and subdivisions by Subdivisional Officers. Mayors head councils at the local level.

Question 5General knowledge and current affairs

Cameroon's official policy of bilingualism gives official status to which two languages?

  1. French and English Correct answer.
  2. French and Fulfulde
  3. English and Pidgin
  4. French and German

Explanation

The Constitution designates French and English as the two official languages, reflecting the country's colonial heritage and its reunification of former French and British territories. Fulfulde, Pidgin and German have no official status.

Question 6General knowledge and current affairs

The African Union's permanent headquarters is located in which city?

  1. Cairo
  2. Addis Ababa Correct answer.
  3. Nairobi
  4. Abuja

Explanation

The African Union, launched in 2002 as successor to the OAU, has its headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Nairobi hosts UN Environment Programme offices, Abuja is the Nigerian capital, and Cairo hosts the Arab League.

Question 7General knowledge and current affairs

Which UN agency is mandated to coordinate international public health and declared COVID-19 a pandemic in March 2020?

  1. The World Health Organization Correct answer.
  2. The World Bank
  3. UNICEF
  4. The International Labour Organization

Explanation

The World Health Organization, based in Geneva, coordinates global public health and characterised COVID-19 as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. UNICEF focuses on children, the World Bank on development finance, and the ILO on labour standards.

Question 8General knowledge and current affairs

The CFA franc used in Cameroon is guaranteed by which institution under the current arrangement?

  1. The IMF
  2. The Bank of Central African States alone
  3. The French Treasury Correct answer.
  4. The African Development Bank

Explanation

The Central African CFA franc is issued by the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) and has long been backed by a guarantee of convertibility from the French Treasury, with the euro as the peg currency. The AfDB and IMF have no such guarantee role.

Question 9General knowledge and current affairs

Which of these is a primary sector activity in Cameroon's economy?

  1. Cement manufacturing
  2. Banking
  3. Cocoa farming Correct answer.
  4. Mobile money services

Explanation

The primary sector covers extraction and agriculture directly from natural resources, so cocoa farming qualifies. Mobile money, banking and cement manufacturing belong to the tertiary and secondary sectors respectively.

Question 10General knowledge and current affairs

Cameroon is a member of which regional economic community that uses the CFA franc?

  1. ECOWAS
  2. CEMAC Correct answer.
  3. SADC
  4. The East African Community

Explanation

CEMAC, the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, groups Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Chad, the Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea and uses the Central African CFA franc. ECOWAS uses the West African CFA franc and other currencies, while the EAC and SADC are in East and Southern Africa.

Question 11General knowledge and current affairs

Which Cameroonian is credited with leading the Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC) before his death in 1958?

  1. Paul Biya
  2. Ruben Um Nyobè Correct answer.
  3. John Ngu Foncha
  4. Ahmadou Ahidjo

Explanation

Ruben Um Nyobè founded and led the UPC, an independence movement, and was killed by colonial forces in 1958. Ahidjo became the first president, Foncha led Southern Cameroons, and Biya is the current president.

Question 12General knowledge and current affairs

The 1961 plebiscite in Southern Cameroons resulted in which outcome?

  1. Reunification with La République Correct answer.
  2. Union with Nigeria
  3. Continued British trusteeship
  4. Independence as a separate state

Explanation

In the February 1961 plebiscite, voters in Southern Cameroons chose reunification with La République over joining Nigeria, leading to the federal republic in October 1961. Northern Cameroons voted to join Nigeria.

Question 13General knowledge and current affairs

Which Cameroonian writer authored the novel 'Le Pauvre Christ de Bomba'?

  1. Sony Labou Tansi
  2. Mongo Beti Correct answer.
  3. Ahmadou Kourouma
  4. Ferdinand Oyono

Explanation

Mongo Beti, the pen name of Alexandre Biyidi, wrote 'Le Pauvre Christ de Bomba' as a satire of colonial missionary activity. Oyono wrote 'Une vie de boy', while Labou Tansi and Kourouma are Congolese and Ivorian writers respectively.

Question 14General knowledge and current affairs

Mount Cameroon's highest peak, Fako, is best described as which feature?

  1. A sandstone escarpment
  2. A glacial valley
  3. A limestone plateau
  4. An active volcanic summit Correct answer.

Explanation

Mount Cameroon is an active volcano, and its highest point, Fako, rises to about 4,040 metres, making it the tallest peak in West and Central Africa. The other descriptions do not match its volcanic geology.

Question 15General knowledge and current affairs

Which river forms part of Cameroon's border with Nigeria before emptying into the Atlantic?

  1. The Cross River Correct answer.
  2. The Sanaga
  3. The Nyong
  4. The Benue

Explanation

The Cross River (Manyu) rises in Cameroon and flows into Nigeria, forming part of the boundary in the South West Region. The Sanaga and Nyong are internal Cameroonian rivers, and the Benue flows mainly through Nigeria.

Question 16General knowledge and current affairs

The 'Anglophone crisis' in Cameroon's North West and South West Regions began with protests by which group in 2016?

  1. Teachers and lawyers' associations Correct answer.
  2. Transport unions
  3. Student fraternities
  4. Farmers' cooperatives

Explanation

The crisis was triggered in late 2016 by strikes by common-law lawyers and teachers' associations against the use of French in courts and schools in the Anglophone regions. The other groups were not the origin of the protests.

Question 17General knowledge and current affairs

In the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, which goal targets quality education?

  1. SDG 3
  2. SDG 13
  3. SDG 4 Correct answer.
  4. SDG 8

Explanation

SDG 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. SDG 3 covers health, SDG 8 decent work, and SDG 13 climate action.

Question 18General knowledge and current affairs

Which statement best illustrates the principle of checks and balances in a democratic constitution?

  1. The executive appoints judges without any oversight
  2. A single party controls all branches of government
  3. The army supervises elections
  4. The legislature can censure the government and the courts can review laws Correct answer.

Explanation

Checks and balances exist when each branch can limit the others, for example parliamentary censure of the executive and judicial review of legislation. The other options concentrate power or remove civilian control, which contradicts the principle.

Question 19General knowledge and current affairs

A country's central bank raises its policy interest rate sharply. Which effect is most consistent with standard macroeconomic reasoning?

  1. The currency is certain to depreciate immediately
  2. Unemployment falls instantly and permanently
  3. Consumer credit becomes cheaper and inflation rises
  4. Borrowing costs rise and inflationary pressure tends to ease Correct answer.

Explanation

Higher policy rates raise the cost of credit, dampening consumption and investment and typically easing inflationary pressure. Currency and employment effects are indirect and uncertain, so the certain predictions in the other options are unsound.

Question 20General knowledge and current affairs

Which argument best explains why a small open economy like Cameroon is vulnerable to external shocks?

  1. It has no trade partners
  2. It uses no currency
  3. Its exports are concentrated in a few primary commodities Correct answer.
  4. It refuses foreign investment

Explanation

Dependence on a narrow range of primary commodity exports, such as cocoa, oil and timber, exposes export revenue and public finances to world price swings. The other statements are factually false for Cameroon.

Question 21General knowledge and current affairs

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN General Assembly in which year?

  1. 1960
  2. 1975
  3. 1948 Correct answer.
  4. 1945

Explanation

The UDHR was adopted in Paris on 10 December 1948, now marked as Human Rights Day. 1945 is the year the UN Charter was signed, and the other dates do not correspond to the Declaration.

Question 22General knowledge and current affairs

Which of the following best defines 'fake news' as a media literacy concept?

  1. Deliberately fabricated or misleading content presented as news Correct answer.
  2. Satire clearly labelled as satire
  3. Opinion articles published in newspapers
  4. Any reporting that criticises the government

Explanation

Fake news refers to deliberately false or misleading information formatted and circulated as if it were legitimate journalism. Criticism, opinion and clearly labelled satire are protected forms of expression, not fake news.

Question 23General knowledge and current affairs

Cameroon's climate varies notably between the coast and the north. Which description is most accurate?

  1. The coast is humid equatorial and the north is tropical with a marked dry season Correct answer.
  2. The coast is arid and the north is equatorial
  3. Both regions have identical rainfall patterns
  4. The north is humid equatorial and the coast is Sahelian

Explanation

The coastal south receives heavy equatorial rainfall across most of the year, while the northern regions have a tropical climate with a single long dry season and Sahelian influence. The other options invert or deny this contrast.

Question 24General knowledge and current affairs

Which factor most directly explains why the 1996 constitutional revision created regional councils?

  1. A wish to abolish local elections
  2. A decision to end bilingualism
  3. A desire to strengthen decentralisation Correct answer.
  4. A plan to merge Cameroon with Nigeria

Explanation

The 1996 revision provided for regional councils as part of a decentralisation process intended to bring decision-making closer to local populations. The other options contradict the constitutional text and Cameroon's stated policies.

Question 25General knowledge and current affairs

Which of these best characterises the role of the African Development Bank?

  1. It finances development projects and programmes in African countries Correct answer.
  2. It prints the CFA franc
  3. It sets interest rates for its member states
  4. It adjudicates international criminal cases

Explanation

The AfDB is a multilateral development finance institution that lends and grants funds for infrastructure, agriculture and social projects across Africa. Monetary policy, criminal justice and currency issuance fall to other institutions.

Question 26General knowledge and current affairs

Which body of the United Nations has the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security?

  1. The Economic and Social Council
  2. The Trusteeship Council
  3. The Security Council Correct answer.
  4. The Secretariat

Explanation

The UN Charter assigns primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security to the Security Council, which can impose sanctions or authorise peace operations. The other principal organs have specialised mandates in economic and social affairs, trusteeship (now suspended), and administration.

Question 27General knowledge and current affairs

The headquarters of the World Trade Organization, which succeeded GATT in 1995, is located in which city?

  1. Geneva Correct answer.
  2. Vienna
  3. Paris
  4. New York

Explanation

The WTO was established in 1995 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, alongside several other trade and humanitarian organisations. New York hosts the UN headquarters, Paris hosts UNESCO and the OECD, and Vienna hosts the IAEA.

Question 28General knowledge and current affairs

In the Cameroonian legal order, which text is formally the supreme law of the land?

  1. The Constitution Correct answer.
  2. The Labour Code
  3. The Civil Code
  4. The General Tax Code

Explanation

The Constitution sits at the apex of the hierarchy of norms, and all statutes, codes and regulations must conform to it. Ordinary codes such as the Civil Code, Labour Code and General Tax Code are statutes or regulations of lower rank.

Question 29General knowledge and current affairs

Which organisation publishes the Human Development Index used to rank countries such as Cameroon?

  1. The World Health Organization
  2. The International Monetary Fund
  3. The World Bank
  4. The United Nations Development Programme Correct answer.

Explanation

The Human Development Index is produced by the UNDP and combines life expectancy, education and income indicators into a single summary measure. The World Bank and IMF publish economic data, and WHO focuses on health statistics.

Question 30General knowledge and current affairs

Which ocean current system contributes to the relatively cool and humid climate of Cameroon's coastal region around Douala?

  1. The cold Humboldt current from the South Pacific
  2. The cold Benguela influence and maritime air masses from the Atlantic Correct answer.
  3. The Gulf Stream from the North Atlantic
  4. The warm Kuroshio current from the Pacific

Explanation

The Cameroonian coast faces the Gulf of Guinea, where maritime air masses and cool upwelling influences produce high humidity and heavy rainfall. The Kuroshio, Humboldt and Gulf Stream operate in other ocean basins and do not shape West African coastal climate.

Question 31General knowledge and current affairs

Which currency is used for Cameroon's transactions within the CEMAC monetary zone?

  1. The Nigerian naira
  2. The euro
  3. The CFA franc (XAF) Correct answer.
  4. The West African CFA franc (XOF)

Explanation

CEMAC member states, including Cameroon, use the Central African CFA franc, coded XAF, which is distinct from the West African CFA franc used by ECOWAS states. The naira is Nigeria's currency and the euro is the anchor currency of the peg, not the domestic tender.

Question 32General knowledge and current affairs

Which lake, shared by Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, has shrunk dramatically over recent decades?

  1. Lake Nyos
  2. Lake Victoria
  3. Lake Tanganyika
  4. Lake Chad Correct answer.

Explanation

Lake Chad has contracted sharply since the 1960s because of reduced rainfall and heavy irrigation demand, affecting livelihoods across four riparian states. Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika lie in East Africa, while Lake Nyos is a volcanic crater lake in Cameroon's North West Region.

Question 33General knowledge and current affairs

Which body of the African Union is composed of heads of state and government and is its supreme organ?

  1. The Peace and Security Council
  2. The Pan-African Parliament
  3. The Assembly of the Union Correct answer.
  4. The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights

Explanation

The Assembly of the Union gathers African heads of state and government and is the AU's supreme decision-making organ. The Pan-African Parliament is advisory, the Peace and Security Council handles conflict prevention, and the Court adjudicates rights disputes.

Question 34General knowledge and current affairs

Which process best explains why the Sahel region south of the Sahara experiences a long dry season from roughly November to March?

  1. The southward shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the dominance of dry Harmattan winds Correct answer.
  2. The formation of monsoon winds from the Indian Ocean
  3. The cooling of the Atlantic Ocean off Douala
  4. The northward migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone

Explanation

During the boreal winter the Intertropical Convergence Zone moves south, allowing dry continental air from the Sahara, known as the Harmattan, to dominate the Sahel and bring a marked dry season. The opposite migration brings the rainy season.

Question 35General knowledge and current affairs

A Cameroonian exporter sells cocoa in euros but must pay local workers in CFA francs. If the euro weakens against the CFA franc, what happens to the local-currency value of the export earnings, all else equal?

  1. It rises, because the euro buys more CFA francs
  2. It becomes zero, because the peg blocks conversion
  3. It falls, because each euro converts into fewer CFA francs Correct answer.
  4. It is unchanged, since the peg fixes the rate permanently

Explanation

With a fixed peg, a weaker euro means fewer CFA francs per euro, so the same euro earnings translate into less local currency. Exporters' domestic purchasing power therefore declines when the anchor currency depreciates against the CFA franc.

Question 36General knowledge and current affairs

Which principle holds that a public official accused of misconduct is presumed innocent until a competent court establishes guilt?

  1. The rule of collective responsibility
  2. The presumption of innocence Correct answer.
  3. The separation of powers
  4. The principle of legality

Explanation

The presumption of innocence places the burden of proof on the prosecution and protects the accused until a final conviction. Legality concerns the existence of a legal basis for action, separation of powers concerns institutional division, and collective responsibility concerns cabinet accountability.

Question 37General knowledge and current affairs

Which statement best captures the difference between a referendum and a parliamentary election?

  1. Both always occur on the same day and serve identical purposes
  2. A referendum asks voters to decide a specific policy or constitutional question, while an election chooses representatives Correct answer.
  3. A referendum chooses representatives, while an election decides a policy question
  4. A referendum is organised only by courts, whereas elections are organised by parties

Explanation

A referendum submits a defined question to the electorate for a yes-or-no decision, whereas an election fills offices by choosing among candidates. The two instruments serve different functions in democratic systems.

Question 38General knowledge and current affairs

Cameroon's 1996 constitutional revision created regions and regional councils. Which objective is most consistent with that reform?

  1. Withdrawing from the African Union
  2. Bringing decision-making closer to local populations through decentralisation Correct answer.
  3. Abolishing the office of the President
  4. Replacing the CFA franc with a national currency

Explanation

The 1996 revision constitutionally anchored decentralisation by creating regions with councils intended to manage local development. It did not touch the presidency, AU membership, or monetary arrangements.

Question 39General knowledge and current affairs

Which factor most directly explains why a country heavily dependent on a single commodity export is vulnerable to terms-of-trade shocks?

  1. Its export revenue fluctuates with world prices it cannot control Correct answer.
  2. It necessarily imports more than it exports
  3. It cannot join international organisations
  4. Its currency is always overvalued

Explanation

Concentration in one commodity exposes the economy to price swings determined on world markets, transmitting volatility to fiscal revenue and the exchange rate. Diversification and stabilisation mechanisms reduce this exposure.

Question 40General knowledge and current affairs

Which measure is most appropriate for assessing whether a country's growth is inclusive?

  1. Measuring only total GDP growth
  2. Tracking how income growth is distributed across population quintiles Correct answer.
  3. Counting the number of banks in the capital
  4. Recording the volume of exports

Explanation

Inclusive growth requires examining distribution, so analysts compare growth across income quintiles or regions rather than relying on aggregates. GDP growth alone can mask widening inequality.

Question 41General knowledge and current affairs

Which document adopted in 1948 sets out civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights without creating binding treaty obligations by itself?

  1. The Geneva Conventions
  2. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Correct answer.
  3. The Treaty of Rome
  4. The Charter of the United Nations

Explanation

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1948 as a common standard, and its principles were later given treaty force through the two 1966 Covenants. The Geneva Conventions govern armed conflict, the UN Charter governs the organisation, and the Treaty of Rome created the European Economic Community.

Question 42General knowledge and current affairs

Which practice best illustrates the principle of checks and balances in a presidential system?

  1. A constitutional court can annul a statute passed by the legislature Correct answer.
  2. The president appoints all judges without confirmation
  3. The ruling party controls both the executive and the legislature
  4. Ministers are chosen from outside the political system

Explanation

Checks and balances require each branch to be able to limit the others, as when judicial review allows a court to strike down unconstitutional legislation. Concentration of power in one party or unconstrained appointment weakens rather than strengthens the system.

Question 43General knowledge and current affairs

A newspaper publishes a story containing invented quotations attributed to a minister. Which concept best describes this failure?

  1. Embedded reporting, since a journalist travelled with the minister
  2. Opinion writing, since the article expresses a viewpoint
  3. Editorial balance, since both sides were quoted
  4. Fabrication, a breach of journalistic verification standards Correct answer.

Explanation

Fabrication occurs when a journalist invents material such as quotations or events instead of verifying them, which violates core accuracy standards. Balance, embedding and opinion writing are legitimate practices only when facts are not invented.

Question 44General knowledge and current affairs

Which feature distinguishes a federal state from a unitary state with decentralised local government?

  1. The capital city hosts foreign embassies
  2. Subnational units hold constitutionally guaranteed powers that the centre cannot unilaterally remove Correct answer.
  3. Local councils receive delegated budgets from the central government
  4. The country has more than one official language

Explanation

In a federation, the division of powers between centre and constituent units is constitutionally entrenched, so the centre cannot simply abolish or override subunits. Decentralised unitary states delegate powers that remain revocable by the centre.

Question 45General knowledge and current affairs

Which institution is responsible for conducting Cameroon's legislative and presidential elections?

  1. The National Assembly
  2. The Supreme Court
  3. Elections Cameroon (ELECAM) Correct answer.
  4. The Bank of Central African States

Explanation

Elections Cameroon is the body mandated to organise and supervise elections and referendums in Cameroon. The Supreme Court adjudicates electoral disputes, the National Assembly is the legislature, and BEAC conducts monetary policy.

Question 46General knowledge and current affairs

Which statement about the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is accurate?

  1. It applies only to North African states
  2. It creates a single African currency
  3. It replaces the African Union
  4. It aims to progressively eliminate tariffs on intra-African trade and entered into force in 2019 Correct answer.

Explanation

The AfCFTA agreement entered into force in 2019 and seeks to liberalise trade in goods and services across the continent through phased tariff reductions. It does not create a currency, replace the AU, or exclude any region.

Question 47General knowledge and current affairs

An analyst argues that remittances from Cameroonians abroad can reduce poverty even when GDP growth is sluggish. Which reasoning best supports this claim?

  1. Remittances lower the price of imported goods
  2. Remittances automatically increase government tax revenue
  3. Remittances flow directly to households and raise their consumption independently of national output growth Correct answer.
  4. Remittances reduce the need for any public services

Explanation

Remittances are private transfers that raise household incomes and consumption directly, so they can reduce poverty even when aggregate growth is weak. They do not automatically expand the tax base, lower import prices, or substitute for public services.

Question 48General knowledge and current affairs

Which argument best explains why the CFA franc peg may constrain monetary policy in Cameroon during a domestic recession?

  1. The peg prevents the government from collecting taxes
  2. The peg requires Cameroon to print money for all CEMAC members
  3. The fixed parity limits the ability to cut interest rates independently of the anchor currency's monetary conditions Correct answer.
  4. The peg obliges Cameroon to abandon foreign reserves

Explanation

Under a fixed peg with free convertibility, monetary conditions are largely imported from the anchor currency, so the regional central bank cannot set interest rates purely to suit a domestic downturn. Printing for the whole zone, reserve abandonment and taxation are unrelated to the parity.

Question 49General knowledge and current affairs

Which factor most convincingly explains why Lake Chad's shrinkage has intensified competition and conflict among riparian communities?

  1. Riparian states have abolished all border controls
  2. The lake's expansion has flooded new farmland
  3. Declining water and arable land push herders and farmers onto the same reduced resources Correct answer.
  4. Fishermen have replaced farmers entirely

Explanation

As the lake retreats, pastoralists and farmers compete for a smaller area of water and fertile land, raising tensions over access. Expansion, abolished borders and the disappearance of farming do not describe the region.

Question 50General knowledge and current affairs

Which reasoning best explains why a country's constitution often entrenches the term of office of the head of state and the conditions for amendment?

  1. Entrenchment makes elections unnecessary
  2. Entrenchment removes the need for judicial review
  3. Entrenchment raises the cost of arbitrary changes and protects predictability in the transfer of power Correct answer.
  4. Entrenchment guarantees that no amendment can ever occur

Explanation

By requiring special majorities or referendums, entrenchment makes it harder for incumbents to alter rules unilaterally and supports predictable succession. It does not make amendment impossible, eliminate judicial review, or replace elections.