VP Alupo honours Sr. Margaret Conroy’s service to education

Jan 16, 2024

She valued co-curricular activities and encouraged all girls to participate in games emphasizing physical fitness,” Alupo said. 

Margaret Conroy was buried in Mbikko, Buikwe district on Monday. (Photos by Charles Kakamwa)

Charles Kakamwa
Journalist @New Vision

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Vice President Jessica Alupo has paid glowing tribute to Sister Margaret Conroy, a missionary under the Sisters of Sacred Heart, for her contribution to the transformation of the education sector, through the promotion of girl child education. 

Alupo observed that during her tenure as the headmistress of Kangole Girls Secondary School in Moroto District, Conroy, popularly known as Sister Margie, exhibited a lot of commitment to her work, raising interest in the girls’ education in the various communities. 

“The values of commitment, courage, faith, confidence, and dedication were immeasurable in Sr. Maggie’s life. Her relationship with us was that of a true mother,” Alupo said while eulogising the late Conroy at her burial in Mbikko, Njeru Municipality in Buikwe District on Monday, January 15. 

Alupo who joined the school in senior two in 1989 and later served as deputy head girl, added that Conroy inculcated in her students the virtues of discipline, hard work, and teamwork which she noted have helped many of them become useful citizens. 

“Sr. Margie believed in an all-round education. She would walk with us to the school garden. She valued co-curricular activities and encouraged all girls to participate in games emphasizing physical fitness,” she said. 

Concerning the security of students, Alupo said Conroy would personally make patrols around the school at night to ensure their safety. 

“What touched me most with Sr. Margie was her capacity to ensure the safety of the girls at that time. The Matheniko warriors would threaten to attack our school especially if the Bokora warriors had raided them. Sr. Margie would move around the school at night with her torch to ensure that no warrior entered the school,” 

“She would ask us to lock ourselves in the dormitories and she would not allow anyone to go for night preps when there was such a threat,” she said. 

Bonisca Emilly Angella, who spoke on behalf of the Kangole Girls Old Students Alumni, described Sr. Margie as a true missionary who lived a life full of sacrifices. 

“She accepted to live in the remotest areas of Karamoja where life was so harsh at the time. She learned the Karimojong culture, lived with us and championed the girl child education in Karamoja and beyond and touched many lives spiritually and morally,” she said. 



 Angella who said Sr. Margie exhibited unmatched levels of humility, added that she had a personal connection with every student and knew each one of them by name. 

Sylivia Namubiru, the president of the Old Girls of the Sacred Heart institutions, described the deceased as a faithful servant of God, a mentor, and a role model to all people she interacted with in the course of her service.  

Together with the old students of Kangole Girls SS, she requested the government to consider awarding Sr. Margie a medal posthumously and also to put up a monument or name an institution after her in memory of her distinguished service to the community, especially in the Karamoja sub-region where she spent most of her life in service. 

The ceremony was attended by Faith Nakuti the woman MP for Napak District as well as state ministers Rose Akello (ethics and integrity) and Esther Anakuni (disaster preparedness) as well as High Court Judge Christine Akello, all old girls of Kangole Girls SS. 

Alupo delivered sh10 million as a contribution from President Yoweri Museveni towards the burial expenses. 

Sr. Margie was laid to rest at the Convent of Sacred Heart in Mbikko. 

About Sr Margie Conroy 

She was born in Canada in 1930 and died on January 11, 2024, aged 93. 

She made her first profession to sisterhood in 1954 and her final profession in 1960. 

She started her teaching ministry in Canada in 1955 until 1967. 

In 1971, she came to Uganda and served until 1973, when she went to Chad. 

However, due to political instability in Chad, she left in 1977 returning to serve in Uganda and Kenya until her death. 

Her responsibilities in various areas include, as a teacher, headteacher, provincial superior, formator, JPIC coordinator, pastoral work with prisons, and activities among others. 

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