Education came to M’mockmbie rather late. In the second half of the 1940s the Catholic Church through the manager of schools in Mbetta made arrangements to create a school in M’mockmbie. This was through the efforts of the Fon and some villagers. The Reverend Manager then sent Mr. Andrew Forbisong to open a school in M’mockmbie in 1945[1]. The school was situated at “Kwa-ah” with the classroom built of sticks and thatched roof. Some of the school pupils were Taleh Francis, Azanki Sylvester of Mbigang, Anangalem (Try And See) of Attrah, Nkempu John, Nkenganang Henry Forchop (now Formende), Nkwete George (Foyim), Nkemasong Etienne (of Mende) just to name these. These were among the first people to read and write in M’mockmbie. They were the ones reading, translating and interpreting official letters, convocations and tax information. The pioneer Headmaster was Mr. Forbisong Andrew of Mbetta.

    The school collapsed shortly after, when the H/M was severely beaten up by Tenkele Peter (Nkematsengkop) because according to him and other villagers the teacher was so wicked to the school pupils and he left for his village. Other reports opined that the headmaster didn’t like his stay in M’mockmbie and often sent faulty reports of M’mockmbie people not wanting to go to school. Eventually this led to strained relationship between the villagers and the teacher, which led to his being beaten up by Peter Tenkele. Other sources also talked of the gross arrogance of the H/M who saluted the Fon’s wife directly with a hand shake, the act being an abominable one, further deteriorating the relationship between the villagers and the teacher and the collapse of the school. The lunar eclipse of 1945 caught Forchop Henry Nkenganang (now Fomende), when he was returning from the school in “Kwa-ah” around  Mathias Tamoh’s compound, and the young Ashiangwi Joseph up a pear tree when he was harvesting a birds nest[2]. This is evidence that the school actually was in 1945.

     It was until 1952, when a group consisting of Mboh Tasong, Vincent Apala-ah, Martin Ndifor, and Michael Nkemajeng moved to Mbetta, sent by the Fon to lobby for the restitution of the school. By then schools were still existing and functioning well in Fojumetaw, Fotabong and Fontem. Apparently this is what motivated by the Fon and those honorable gentlemen to crave so much for a school. Despite the odds of distance, language barriers and the grudge the church had on M’mockmbie, they succeeded in convincing the Reverend Manager to recreate the school in 1953 and it went operational in 1954. The school managers whom Ntemgwa Paul Sixtus could remember were Rev. Father John Althink and Rev. Father Bernard Stompell. The young pupils in Ntemgwa were baptized by Father John Althink. The new school, St Thomas Catholic School Fossimombin was opened in January 1954 in the Fon’s Palace. The classes started under the colanut trees in the esplanade of palace (ajaah-meuh). At that time the “lemou” (the assembly hall of the palace), was being constructed by the Fon and his subjects, and when it was completed the school moved into it. When there was need for a permanent site it was moved to a place that was known as “mission” for several years. The first permanent row of classrooms in the school was

built of mud bricks in 1962. When the school moved to this site Nwut-alah Samson Alaanu was residing there in the middle of what is now the football pitch. The school silently pushed him out as the field was being dug. The vast land was donated by the Fon, some kongameh people and Tah Njengmba of Mbegle who gave his “apooh” njengmba[1].

   The first Headmaster and teacher was Mr. Tobias Atembeh from Fojumetaw. The following head masters have ruled the school from then until recently in this order; Tobias Atembeh, Stephen Segemo, Ateachong Benedict, Esua Michael, Ajong Stephen, Formbin Nicolas, Njuateh Paul, Fongang Alfred (Two times), Peter Tekwa, and Thomas Azemafac[2]. The school had amongst the more than 20 pupils, Nkemaleh Thomas of Mende, as the first name on the class list, Ndifor William was number 13 of that same list. Tasong Gabriel, Tasong Gilbert, Njuateh Paul, Asaah Thomas, Mofor Simon, Asonganya Richard, Ashiangwi Joseph, Azeteh Edward, Efemengim Robert, Dominic Tasong Tsopndoh, Bernard Tendonge (from Attrah) , Ngimndoh Romanus Nkempu, Aloysius Nkohko, Thadeus Mekongchu were amongst other pupils in class[3].

    The class was promoted to Infant Two in December 1954, but pupils like Njuateh Paul, Tasong Gabriel, and Asaah Thomas were promoted to Standard One which did not exist so they left. By December 1956, it was not certain whether Standard One will be granted in M’mockmbie or not, so the whole class moved to Fojumetaw in January 1957. Standard One was granted in February of the same year and they all came back. In 1958 there was no Standard Three so the whole class scattered and went to schools outside the Fondom. Those who could not muster the strength and finance simply dropped out of school. This unfortunate situation was the end of school for some. Those that went out included Azeteh Martin (Zoukou) of Mbegle and Mofor Simon. By 1959 all the classes were granted in M’mockmbie and almost all the class mates returned to the fondom. Sadly enough no female featured in this picture of early education in M’mockmbie. It should be noteworthy that the academic year started in January and ended in December. This first batch graduated in December 1962 and wrote the First School Leaving Certificate in Bamumbu.

The following headmasters administered the school at “Kwa-ah” and the Catholic school in the first decade of its existence.