Lira's darling head teacher set to retire

Teachers and students at the school have expressed sadness over her retirement, noting that she was very caring.

Mr Emmanuel Angoda, an ICT teacher at Lira Town College, says: “She supported most of the teachers to grow their investments since she would give us low-interest loans to inject in our businesses. She could even support us financially if banks are on our necks over salary loans.”

He adds: “Ms Acen treats all teaching and non-teaching staff equally. She is very simple and approachable and whenever you have any personal problem which needs money, she will give you money to solve it so that you can concentrate on your work.”

Isaac Opio, a Senior One student, says the outgoing head teacher is always in the kitchen supervising the cooks to ensure that food is served to students and teachers in time.

“Since I joined Senior One this year, I have not missed home, because our head teacher is also showering us with the same love and care our parents give us,” he says.

Mr Jimmy Awany, the former LC3 chairman of Adyel Division Council in the former Lira Municipal Council, describes Ms Acen as a humble person who is loved by many in Lango Sub-region.

“She is so kind-hearted and she has been paying school fees for so many vulnerable children who come from poor family backgrounds. Some of the students whom she supported are now doctors, engineers, lawyers and teachers,” says Mr Awany.

About Ms Acen

Ms Acen was born in 1964 in the present-day Abia Sub-county, Alebtong District.

She says she had always wanted to be a teacher.

She attended Christ the King Primary Teachers’ College in Gulu District where she graduated as a Grade II teacher and was posted to teach at Abia Primary School. Here she taught from 1982 to 1983.

“I kept on advancing with my education and the 1985 military coup led by Gen Tito Okello happened when l was at the school. My family was very worried and thought that I had been killed but I later returned and went back to Abia Primary School to continue with my work now as a Grade III teacher,” she says.

She recalls that at that time, she was earning a monthly salary of about Shs1,000, which she says was not enough to meet her basic needs.

“I realised that women who were in the business of shea nut butter trade were earning some good income. So, I also ventured into that business and after saving for three months, I went back to school with a new bicycle I bought using the money I got from selling shea butter,” she recalls.

She later opened a shop at Abia Trading Centre, which did well.

Teacher college

In 1988, she joined the National Teacher College (NTC) Ngetta in Lira District, and in 1989, she registered as a private candidate for the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE).

After shining in exams, she was admitted for a Bachelor of Education at the Institute of Teachers Education Kyambogo (ITEK) now Kyambogo University.

“l graduated in 1992 with an upper second-class degree and we were only two. When I came back to Lango, several schools were struggling to give me placement. Lango College, Comboni College and Adwari Secondary School, but I chose to go to St Katherine Secondary School,” Ms Acen says.

She taught History Paper 1 & 3 and one of her students is former Alebtong District Woman Member of Parliament, Ms Christine Acen.

“When the academic performance improved at the school, I was promoted to deputy head teacher in 2003,” Ms Acen says.

She adds: “So, when parents heard that I was now the head teacher of the school, they became very happy since I had set a high academic standard in my former school.”