Dr Henry Stanley Okia, the longtime principal of Hillside Schools Naalya, whose career in education spanned more than four decades, is dead.
Details about the circumstances of his death, including the cause, place, and time of death, had not been publicly disclosed by the time of publication, but sources say he has been unwell.
Dr Okia had spent much of his life in education, rising from a Grade Two teacher to become a school administrator, education researcher and holder of a Doctor of Philosophy in Education.
His journey started in 1980 when he joined Namutamba Primary Teachers’ College in Mityana. He qualified as a Grade II teacher in 1984 and was posted to Narambhai Road Primary School in Jinja.
At Narambhai Road, he taught English Language and Mathematics to Primary Four pupils before later teaching Social Studies and Mathematics to Primary Six and Seven pupils.
His early years in teaching coincided with some of Uganda’s most difficult periods, including the 1981 to 1986 civil war.
In a 2024 interview with Daily Monitor, he recalled his experiences as a teacher during the period, including the insecurity around Jinja where he was working.
In 1988, he moved to Nakasero Primary School, where he taught Social Studies, Religious Education and English Language until 1996.
He joined the private education sector in 1997 when he became head teacher of Lakeside Academy Primary School in Bugonga, Entebbe. He later helped establish Entebbe Junior School, where he also served as head teacher.
He eventually joined Hillside Schools Naalya and became its principal, a position he held for about 23 years.
Although he had moved into school management, Dr Okia remained closely involved in teaching. In 2024, said that he sometimes entered P7 classrooms to help pupils understand lessons, particularly Social Studies and Religious Education.
Despite obtaining a PhD, he chose to remain in primary education instead of moving into university teaching or another field.
His death marks the loss of an educator whose career was defined by longevity, scholarship and a strong attachment to teaching.
