The official opening ceremony of the 22nd session of the CAMES Competitive Examination for the Agrégation in Legal, Political, Economic and Management Sciences was launched at Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD) on Monday, November 10, 2025. This is the third time that Dakar has hosted this event after 1987 and 1999. "Senegal confirms its position as a leading founding member country of CAMES and thus perpetuates its fine tradition of academic hospitality," rejoiced the interim president of the CCG, Professor Gérard Gresenguet.

This ceremony marks the launch of the second and third stages, which officially begin on November 10th. Initially, there were 215 candidates from 12 countries. But following the first stage, conducted exclusively online from October 18th to 28th, 2025, only 113 candidates remain deemed shortlisted, representing a rate of 52.56%.

This means that, at this rate, the final success rate is likely to be low.

But for the Rector of UCAD, Professor Alioune Badara KANDJI, "This competition, which embodies academic excellence in Africa, represents much more than a step in the career of teacher-researchers. It symbolizes the continent's commitment to promoting quality higher education and supporting scientific research, an essential pillar of the development of our societies."

However, this under-admission rate is not surprising. The Law, Political Science, Economics, and Management exams are known for their poor results. Between 1983 and 2023, over a 40-year period, the average pass rate was 30.11%, meaning 558 students were admitted out of 1,853 candidates. The highest pass rate during this period was in 2019 at 41.22%. The worst result was recorded in 2001 at 12.5%.

However, if we are to believe Professor Souleymane Konaté, Secretary General of Cames, this competition is more than a simple assessment of skills, it "represents an investment by our States in the training of human resources for the building of an Africa whose development is based on knowledge, as Professor Joseph Kizerbo emphasized."

How can we hope for a critical mass of top-tier teacher-researchers if we continue to have such results?