Ottos Comprehensive School

September 16th, 1974 – The Ottos Comprehensive School (OCS) was established. It began with a cohort of approximately 94 students and 6 teachers in the old Treasury courtyard on High Street in a wooden two-story building. The first principal was Megan Sampson. She was supported by a team of teachers which included Raymond Simon, Lenroy Francis, Margaret Richardson, Julia Weston, Avis Mascall, and Mrs Josiah, a college teacher. The students’ recreational area was the concrete paved courtyard. 

In short order, as the school’s population grew, it was agreed that additional space was necessary and the idea was conceived by the then Minister of Education, Basil Peters to construct a new secondary school in a suburban area that would help to take some pressure off schools in the town area, especially the Princess Margaret School which overcrowded at the time. 

Twenty acres of land were acquired at Michael’s Mount from Asot Michael Snr. on Mary E. Piggott Road and construction began in November 1974. OCS stands alongside Mary E. Piggott Primary and the Seventh Day Adventist School on the land space originally acquired for the construction of the school. The space was also occupied for some time by the Bryant House School. 

In keeping with its name the Ottos Comprehensive School, the vision was a comprehensive type of education that catered not only to academics but also to the technical and vocational capabilities of students mirroring the trend for learning institutions in the Caribbean at that time (the 1970s). The PLM Administration had plans to construct a grand educational complex that would include a large agricultural science program, engineering shops (electrical and mechanical), an artisan workshop, and a sixth-form college.  Unfortunately, the PLM lost the general elections in 1976 and that plan was never executed. 

The school remained at its original venue at the Treasury building contending with the workers for space, while the workers complained about being disturbed by noise from the school. The school’s cohort of first-formers were sent home for the first two weeks of the new school year since there were no classrooms to house them.

The decision was made to relocate the school to the new site despite its incomplete state in October 1976.  Approximately 310 students and their teachers made their way to the new location.  During its first year of existence, the school did not have a uniform, however, during the second year, it was decided that the boys would wear brown pants and the girls brown A-line skirts while both wore brown and white checked shirts and blouses respectively.

Ottos Comprehensive School was the first to add Agricultural Science and Integrated Science to its curriculum and to integrate field trips as a mechanism for teaching and learning. It was also the first to introduce sports such as volleyball and baseball to its sports program.

Over the years, the institution had strong performances in interschool sports. Worthy of note is the cricket team which was led in the earlier years by Sir Richard ‘Richie’ Richardson who guided them to several championships. Sir Richie would go on to represent the Leeward Islands Cricket Team, captain the West Indies Cricket Team, earning the status of one of Antigua and Barbuda’s 4-Knights for outstanding cricket performance, and Ambassador-at-Large, serving on the ICC elite cricket umpires’ panel.

OCS was also the birthplace of several elite performers in various sectors. Alumni who have gone into the entertainment field include Claudette Peters, Tanzania ‘Tizzy’ Sebastian, and Lincoln ‘Blade’ Stanislaus; in medicine, renowned urologist, Dwayne Thwaites and in fashion, Calvin Southwell and Shem Henry; and Sustainable Development Consultant Colin John Jenkins. Member of Parliament for St. John’s Rural West Hon. Richard Lewis is also an alumnus of the institution. 

Full tribute to the dedicated leaders and teachers under whose direction and tutelage  the school blossomed.

Ottos Comprehensive School continues to serve Antogia and Barbuda youth instilling values in keeping with its motto, ‘Success through Perseverance’.