[6] From 1931 to 1936, he studied at Sultan Idris Training College, where he became one of its earliest Bruneian alumni, alongside notable figures such as Marsal Maun and Basir Taha.

[8][9] He was involved in the committee overseeing the restructuring of religious education in Brunei by 1940, working alongside notable figures such as Basir Taha, Marsal Maun, and Harun Mohd Amin.

This restructuring introduced religious instruction in various schools, aligning the curriculum with those of the Federated Malay States and Straits Settlements.

[12] After more than two decades of teaching in schools, Othman became the first local Bruneian to be appointed principal of the Brunei Malay Teachers' College in 1961, a role he held for about 10 years.

[1] During his tenure at the college, he was part of the Brunei delegation that participated in unofficial discussions with the federal government of Malaya in 1962 concerning the formation of Malaysia.

Led by Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Mohamed Alam, the delegation included prominent Bruneian officials and explored various aspects of Malaysia's formation, including potential benefits for Brunei, Brunei's role within the federation, and regional defence against communist threats in Southeast Asia.