Oprah Winfrey to close South Africa Girls’ Academy

Newsflash Writer and Agencies

US media personality Oprah Winfrey has announced that the prestigious girls’ school she founded in South Africa almost two decades ago will shut its doors at the end of the 2027 academic year, marking the end of one chapter in her education initiative and the beginning of another.

The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG), located near Johannesburg, will officially be handed over to South Africa’s education authorities in line with the original agreement reached when the institution was established. Learners who will not have completed their studies by the time the school closes will receive full scholarships to continue their education at other institutions.

The academy was founded to provide quality education to academically gifted girls from disadvantaged backgrounds following Winfrey’s meeting with South Africa’s anti-apartheid hero and former President Nelson Mandela in 2002.

Shift to national scholarship programme

Since opening in 2007, the boarding school has produced more than 1,000 graduates, many of whom have gone on to pursue successful careers in medicine, law, engineering, business, the arts and technology.

The foundation behind the academy said the closure does not signal the end of Winfrey’s commitment to education in South Africa. Instead, resources will now be redirected towards a nationwide scholarship programme that will support talented girls from underserved communities to attend leading schools across the country.

“The dream was never simply to build a school,” Winfrey said in a statement.

“It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women. That mission doesn’t end with one campus. It continues in every girl whose future can be transformed through education.

“I’m excited that this next chapter will allow us to reach even more young women across South Africa and continue the promise that began more than 20 years ago.”

The announcement has triggered speculation on social media about the reasons behind the closure. However, a public relations consultant representing the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation dismissed claims that the decision was linked to financial or management problems.

Legacy beyond the campus

Built at an estimated cost of about $40 million, the academy sits in Henley-on-Klip, south of Johannesburg, and currently has 281 learners enrolled.

From its inception, the school attracted widespread attention for its state-of-the-art facilities, which reportedly included two theatres, a yoga studio and a beauty salon. Some critics questioned whether such a large investment in a single institution would have been better spent improving educational opportunities for a greater number of learners across South Africa.

The school also faced controversy shortly after opening when several learners accused a former staff member of abuse. The staff member was later acquitted of all charges.

Despite those challenges, the academy has earned recognition for producing graduates who have excelled in higher education and professional careers around the world.

According to Oprah Daily, former students have become doctors, lawyers, engineers, artists, executives and entrepreneurs.

Among them is 2012 graduate Andronica Klaas, now a senior engineering lead at technology company Meta, who credited the academy with shaping her future.

“Every corner of the campus was filled with so much love and care and detail,” she said.

“OWLAG convinced me that preparation, character and purpose mattered more than where I came from.”

The future use of the campus after it is transferred to the Gauteng provincial government has not yet been announced. However, the province’s Department of Education said it intends to preserve the institution’s legacy.

“We are committed to preserving and advancing the academy’s legacy,” the department said.

“We will ensure that this exceptional institution continues to serve the people of Gauteng while honouring the vision upon which it was established.”