Key facts
- Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa will close after the 2027 academic year.
- The school, founded nearly 20 years ago, will be transferred to local education authorities.
- Students who have not yet graduated will receive full scholarships to attend other schools.
- The academy was established to educate girls from underprivileged backgrounds.
- Winfrey plans to continue her educational mission through a new scholarship program.
Oprah Winfrey has announced that her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa will close its doors at the end of the 2027 academic year. The expansive boarding school campus, located near Johannesburg and built at a cost of $40 million, will be handed over to local education authorities as originally planned.
Winfrey stated that students enrolled at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) who will not have graduated by the closure date will be provided with full scholarships to continue their education elsewhere. The school, founded nearly 20 years ago, was inspired by Winfrey's meeting with Nelson Mandela in 2002 and aimed to educate girls from underprivileged backgrounds.
While acknowledging past criticisms regarding the school's lavish campus, a PR consultant denied speculation that mismanagement was the reason for its closure. Winfrey explained in a statement that her mission is to invest in the potential of young women through education, a goal that will continue via a scholarship program for academically talented girls across South Africa.
The Gauteng province's education department has expressed its commitment to preserving the academy's legacy and ensuring the institution continues to serve the community. Since opening in 2007, OWLAG has seen over 1,000 girls graduate, many of whom have pursued careers as doctors, lawyers, engineers, and entrepreneurs.