Uganda’s education fraternity is mourning the death of Dr Henry Stanley Okia, the longtime principal of Hillside Schools Naalya, who passed away on Thursday, August 20, 2026, after a career spanning more than four decades.
Dr Okia was remembered by colleagues, parents and former learners as a dedicated educationist, school administrator, mentor and advocate for academic excellence.
His death has brought an end to a professional journey that began in 1980 and saw him rise from a classroom teacher to one of the country’s respected private-school administrators.
According to reports surrounding his death, Dr Okia experienced a heart-related medical emergency on Wednesday and drove himself to hospital for medical attention. His condition reportedly deteriorated after he arrived at the health facility, and he died on Thursday morning. New Vision reported that he passed away at Case Hospital in Kampala shortly after undergoing a heart operation.
However, earlier reports from Hillside Schools indicated that Dr Okia collapsed at the hospital while attending a cardiovascular check-up. Daily Monitor reported that an administrator within the Hillside Schools community said the principal had been experiencing some heart-related problems and had planned to undergo medical examination.
The circumstances have left the school community and the wider education sector in shock, particularly because Dr Okia remained active in his professional duties in the days before his death.
On August 15, he attended Hillside Schools Naalya’s Cultural Day, where colleagues and parents described him as being in good spirits. His sudden death came only days after the event.
Dr Okia’s journey in education began in 1980 when he joined Namutamba Primary Teachers’ College in Mityana District. He qualified as a Grade Two teacher in 1984 before being posted to Narambhai Road Primary School in Jinja District.
At Narambhai Road, he taught subjects including English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies and Religious Education. In 1988, he moved to Nakasero Primary School in Kampala, where he continued teaching until 1996.
He later entered private education, becoming head teacher of Lakeside Academy Primary School in Bugonga, Entebbe, in 1997. He subsequently helped establish Entebbe Junior School before joining Hillside Schools Naalya.
Dr Okia eventually became principal of Hillside Schools, a position he held for more than two decades. By 2024, he had served at the school for about 23 years, while continuing to maintain a strong connection with classroom teaching.
Despite his senior administrative position, he occasionally taught Primary Seven pupils, particularly Social Studies and Religious Education. His approach reflected his long-held belief that education was more than a profession.
His academic achievements were equally remarkable. Having started his career as a Grade Two teacher, Dr Okia continued upgrading his qualifications throughout his professional life. He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Education from Kyambogo University and graduated during the university’s 19th graduation ceremony in December 2023.
His doctoral research focused on “Support Supervision and Teacher Performance in Government-aided Primary Schools in Teso Sub-region, Uganda,” examining the relationship between teacher supervision and performance.
Beyond school administration, Dr Okia contributed to education research and authored learning materials for primary school pupils. His professional philosophy remained centred on mentorship, discipline and helping learners realise their potential.
Tributes following his death have highlighted his influence on generations of learners and teachers. New Vision reported that friends and parents described him as a visionary school leader and passionate advocate for academic excellence, while Uganda’s Vice President Jessica Alupo also joined those mourning his death.
His death therefore represents not only the loss of a school principal but also the departure of an educator whose career stretched from the early 1980s to Uganda’s modern education system.
Dr Okia leaves behind a legacy built through classrooms, school leadership, research and mentorship. For thousands of learners and educators who encountered him during his long career, his contribution to education is expected to remain part of the institutional history of Hillside Schools and Uganda’s wider education sector.
Funeral and burial arrangements are expected to be communicated by his family and the management of Hillside Schools.
