Uganda’s education fraternity is mourning the death of Dr Henry Stanley Okia, the longtime principal of Hillside Schools Naalya, whose career in education spanned about four decades.
A death announcement circulating on Thursday, August 20, 2026, announced the passing of Dr Okia and described him as a “dedicated leader, mentor and inspiration to many.” The announcement identified him as the principal of Hillside Schools Naalya and said his legacy of “wisdom, integrity and service” would remain in the hearts of those he touched.
At the time of publication, however, details surrounding his death, including the cause, place and time of death, had not been publicly disclosed.
Dr Okia leaves behind a remarkable record of service in Uganda’s education sector, having risen from a Grade Two teacher to become a school principal and, later, a holder of a Doctor of Philosophy in Education.
Four decades in the classroom
According to a detailed profile published by Daily Monitor in July 2024, Dr Okia had spent about 40 years in the teaching profession. His journey began in 1980 when he joined Namutamba Primary Teachers’ College in Mityana District.
He qualified as a Grade Two teacher in 1984 and was posted to Narambhai Road Primary School in Jinja District, where he initially taught English Language and Mathematics to Primary Four pupils.
He later taught Social Studies and Mathematics to Primary Six and Seven learners. His early teaching career coincided with some of Uganda’s most turbulent periods, including the civil war of the early 1980s and the rise of the Holy Spirit Movement and the Lord’s Resistance Army in the late 1980s.
In 1988, he moved to Nakasero Primary School, where he taught Social Studies, Religious Education and English Language until 1996.
He entered the private education sector in 1997 as head teacher of Lakeside Academy Primary School in Bugonga, Entebbe. He later helped establish Entebbe Junior School, where he served as head teacher before moving to Hillside Schools Naalya.
23 years at the helm of Hillside
By the time Daily Monitor profiled him in 2024, Dr Okia had served as principal of Hillside Schools Naalya for 23 years.
The school continues to list him as its principal, under the name Mr Okia Henry Stanley, on its official leadership page.
His influence at Hillside went beyond administration. Even after rising to senior management, he continued to take an active interest in classroom teaching, particularly among Primary Seven learners.
In his 2024 interview, he said he would occasionally enter the Primary Seven classroom to help learners understand what they were being taught, particularly in Social Studies and Religious Education.
The school’s own principal’s message reflects an educational philosophy centred on accountability, integrity, strong work ethics and helping learners achieve their personal best. It also emphasises a holistic approach combining academics with spirituality, creative arts and sports.
From teacher to PhD holder
Dr Okia’s academic journey was as significant as his professional career.
After beginning his career as a Grade Two teacher, he continued upgrading his education while remaining rooted in primary school teaching and administration.
Kyambogo University records show that he defended his PhD work in 2022.
He subsequently graduated at Kyambogo University’s 19th graduation ceremony in December 2023 with a Doctor of Philosophy in Education.
His doctoral research was titled “Support Supervision and Teacher Performance in Government-aided Primary Schools in Teso Sub-region, Uganda.” The research examined the relationship between different approaches to supporting and supervising teachers and their performance.
His academic work was also published in education research journals, including studies examining teacher supervision and performance in Uganda.
A scholar who remained a teacher
Despite attaining the highest academic qualification in his profession, Dr Okia chose to remain closely connected to primary education.
In his interview with Daily Monitor, he explained that he had considered moving into teacher training after upgrading but ultimately decided that remaining in primary education had become his specialty.
He described teaching as more than employment, insisting that it was a calling.
“Teaching is a calling,” he told Daily Monitor, arguing that a teacher’s greatest reward was seeing learners succeed and later remember the contribution their teachers made to their lives.
His philosophy was reflected in the advice he gave aspiring teachers: they should enter the profession because of their commitment to educating children rather than expecting it to make them wealthy.
A legacy written through generations of learners
One of the defining features of Dr Okia’s career was the number of generations of children he taught.
By 2024, he had taught enough Primary Seven cohorts that he could encounter former pupils years later in different professions and circumstances.
Daily Monitor recounted how two former pupils once recognised him while he was shopping for a suit in Kampala. The former students were so pleased to meet their old teacher that they bought him a suit worth Shs700,000.
Another former pupil cited in his profile was Dr Rose Kwatampora Oguttu, who later became head of projects at Uganda Management Institute.
Dr Okia also recalled former pupils who went on to become university lecturers and professionals, describing such outcomes as among the most rewarding aspects of his long career.
Author and education researcher
Beyond classroom teaching and school administration, Dr Okia also contributed to educational literature.
A 2025 Pioneer Social Studies Revision Workbook for Primary Four to Seven learners identifies Dr Okia Henry Stanley as its author. The publication covers Social Studies topics aligned with primary education and acknowledges learners at Hillside Primary School Naalya who had used his earlier educational materials.
His academic publications likewise focused heavily on improving teacher supervision, professional development and learner outcomes.
His research argued for supervision that supports teachers’ professional development rather than treating supervision merely as monitoring and enforcement.
His final years remained devoted to education
Even in recent years, Dr Okia remained active in education beyond the walls of Hillside.
In July 2026, he was reported as the guest of honour at an education initiative in Gogonyo, where he urged teachers to recommit themselves to the profession and described teaching as a calling rather than simply employment.
He encouraged teachers to embrace the national curriculum, use technology for professional development and identify learners’ strengths and weaknesses early enough to provide appropriate academic guidance.
The engagement underscored the continued role he played as an education mentor and voice on primary education issues.
A career that outlived generations
Dr Okia’s career stretched from the early 1980s into an era dominated by digital learning, changing curricula and new approaches to education.
Yet he remained committed to the classroom.
From a young teacher at Narambhai Road Primary School, he rose through teaching, school administration, academic research and education leadership to become the principal of one of Kampala’s established private primary schools and a PhD holder in Education.
His death marks the loss of an educator whose professional life was defined by longevity, scholarship and an enduring attachment to the teaching profession.
For the thousands of learners, teachers and education professionals who encountered him during his career, Dr Okia’s legacy is likely to live on through the institutions he served, the research he produced and, most importantly, the generations of pupils he taught.
Further details on his burial arrangements and the circumstances surrounding his death are expected to be communicated by his family and the management of Hillside Schools.
