Oprah Winfrey has announced that the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) will close its doors after the 2027 academic year, ending nearly 20 years of operating one of South Africa’s most well-known private boarding schools.
The academy, located near Johannesburg, will be transferred to South African education authorities in accordance with the original agreement established when the school opened in 2007.
Students who have not yet completed their studies by the time the school closes will receive full scholarships to finish their education at other institutions.
Winfrey said the decision marks a new chapter for her education initiative, with her foundation moving away from managing a single campus and instead expanding access to quality education through a nationwide scholarship programme.
“The dream was never simply to build a school,” Winfrey said. “It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women.”
The new programme aims to support academically gifted girls from disadvantaged communities by funding their education at leading schools across South Africa, allowing the foundation to reach significantly more learners than the academy could accommodate.
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls was established following Winfrey’s meeting with former President Nelson Mandela in 2002. Backed by an initial investment of approximately $40 million, the school opened in 2007 with the goal of providing world-class education and leadership development for girls from underprivileged backgrounds.
Over the past two decades, the academy has produced more than 1,000 graduates, many of whom have gone on to pursue careers in medicine, law, engineering, business and other professional fields.
Despite its success, the academy has also attracted public attention over the years. Critics questioned the school’s high-end facilities during its early years, while it also faced scrutiny following abuse allegations involving a former staff member. The individual was later cleared of the allegations.
The Oprah Winfrey Foundation has dismissed speculation circulating online that the closure is linked to financial or operational difficulties, maintaining that the decision is part of a long-term strategy to broaden its impact and provide educational opportunities to more young women across the country.
The transition is expected to begin after the 2027 academic year, with the expanded scholarship programme becoming the foundation’s primary education initiative in South Africa.
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