Okello Simon

Part-time Assistant Lecturer


Okello Simon is a dedicated historian and PhD candidate in Humanities (History – Gulu University), with a Master of Arts in History, and a sound research background in education, climate-induced migrations, street children, mental health, religion, youth, and political fields. He specializes in environmental history to trace and understand the relationship between humans and the natural world over time.
With a soundtrack of numerous academic publications, he has well-developed personal skills in critical thinking, communication, research, and guidance and counselling. Throughout his six years as an educationist and researcher, he has worked with Gulu University as a Part-time Teaching Assistant and, consequently, served as a Part-time Teaching Staff at Gulu University’s Kotido Study Centre, Department of Social Studies, and ODELL.

He has published peer-reviewed work on, among others, home-based learning, COVID-19 impacts on Northern Uganda, climate refugees, child soldier reintegration, and the Balaalo, land conflicts, a policy brief, and a blog post on the green charcoal cooking fuel innovation. Currently, he lectures and mentors students as a Part-time Assistant Lecturer at the Department of History, Faculty of Education and Humanities, Gulu University.

Qualifications

Institution Period Degree obtained
Gulu University 2025 to Present PhD Candidate

 
Gulu University 2022 – 2024 M.A. Education in History, Gulu University, Uganda

 
Gulu University

 

 2017 – 2021 B.A. Education, Gulu University, Uganda

 

Research Interests

History, Refugees and Migrations, Politics, Environment, International Relations.

Publications

Akello, F., Alidri, A., Okello, S., & Amongin, H. (2025) . (2025) . Parental Roles and the Implementation of Home-Based Learning During COVID-19: A Study of Selected Primary Schools in Lamwo District, Northern Uganda . East African Journal of Education Studies, 8(4)
Alidri, A., Uramba, E., Anicia, F., Apio, W., Ochen, P., Kabwijamu, P., Okello, S., Giramiya, E., Musaasizi, R., Tumanye, S., Awor, S., & Nyamungu, P. (2025). . (2025) . Adolescent and Youth Reproductive Health Treatment-Seeking Behaviour in the Post COVID-19 Pandemic in Gulu City, Northern Uganda . East African Journal of Health and Science, 8(3)
Alidri, A., Uramba, E., Anicia, F., Apio, W., Ochen, P., Kabwijamu, P., Okello, S., Nyamungu, P., Giramiya, E., Musaasizi, R., Tumanye, S., Awor, S., Atube, F., & Okumu, C. (2025). . (2025) . The Silent Impact of Pandemic: COVID-19 and Adolescent-Youth Reproductive Health in Acholi Sub-Region in Uganda . East African Journal of Health and Science, 8(3)
Mbazalire, E., Alidri, A., Okello, S., Christine, A., Atube, F., Okello, C., Mogensen, H., & Okumu, C. (2025) . (2025) . Historizing Gender in Household Production and Use of Cooking Fuels in Amuru District, Northern Uganda . East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 8(2)
Agatha, A., Atube, F., Okello, S., Aoyo, C., Ringitho, R., Okello, C., & Okumu, C. (2025). . (2025) . Unpacking the Concept “Green Charcoal,” A Cooking Fuel Innovation: The Gulu University Interdisciplinary Experience . East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources, [online] Volume 8(2). Available at: https://journals.eanso.org/index.php/eajenr/article/view/3424
Nancy, S. L., Alidri, A., Okello, S., Ochen, P. & Reynolds, S. W. (2025) . (2025) . Climate Refugees and Forced Migrations: Emerging Refugee Question in Lamwo District in Northern Uganda . African Journal of Climate Change and Resource Sustainability, 4(1), pp. 426-444
Alidri, A., Okello, S., Ochen, P., Tukupe, O. D. & Aure, O. R. (2025) . (2025) . Beyond Modern Science: Ryemo Gemo (Chasing Away Evil Spirits), Tradition and Faith during the COVID-19 Pandemic among the Acoli in Northern Uganda . East African Journal of Traditions, Culture and Religion, 8(1)
Omara, C. J., Alidri, A., Okello, S., Ochen, P., & Kabwijamu, P. (2025) . (2025) . Street Language and Social Survival in Gulu City: Insights from Aguu, the Socially Excluded Youth . East African Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, 8(1)
Ochen, P., Bosco, O. J., Okello, S. & Alidri, A. (2025) . (2025) . An Inquiry into the Lived Experiences of Child Soldiers within the Lord’s Resistance Army Insurgency in Amuru District, 1987-2024 . African Journal of History and Geography, 4(1)
Ochen, P., Alidri, A. & Simon, O. (2025) . (2025) . Parliaments and Post-Conflict Justice: Amplifying the Voices of Children Born in LRA Captivity in Northern Uganda . International Journal of Geopolitics and Governance, 4(1), pp. 242-256
Okello, S., Alidri, A., Mbazalire, E., Aoyo, C., Atube, F., Collins, O., & Okumu, C. N. (2024). . (2024) . Experiences with Green Charcoal: A Gender Consideration of Rural and Urban Households in Gulu District . East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 7(1)
Agatha Alidri., Simon Okello, Ezekiel Mbazaliire & Geoffrey Osborn Oceng (2024). . (2024) . Historicising Land Conflicts And The Balaalo Factor In Northern Uganda, 1986-2023 . African Journal of History and Geography , 3(1)

Projects

CONSCOV (consequences of covid-19 for adolescent and youth reproductive health) Project
    Dr. Alidri Agatha, Prof. Okumu Charles Nelson, Simon Okello-research Asistant
BSU IV: Life long Learning and Hybrid Learning
    Dr. Okumu John Bismarck, Prof. Okumu Charles Nelson, Dr. Alidri Agatha, Simon Okello - Research Assistant

Supervision

Undergraduate Students (08)

More Information

Policy Brief: Opportunities and Challenges of Green Charcoal: A gender Consideration of Urban and Rural Settings of Gulu District.

Blog Post: We Need to Carefully Consider Gender Roles as UPCHAIN Promotes Green Charcoal Access and Adoption in Northern Uganda. UPCHAIN, Gulu University Blog, https://upchain.gu.ac.ug/we-need-to-carefully-consider-gender-roles-as-upchain-promotes-green-charcoal-access-and-adoption-in-northern-uganda-2/, May 8.