US media personality Oprah Winfrey will close her leadership academy for girls in South Africa at the end of the 2027 academic year, nearly 20 years after launching the school to educate academically gifted girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG), located near Johannesburg, will be handed over to South African education authorities in line with the original agreement reached when it was established.
Students who will not have graduated before the school closes will receive full scholarships to complete their education at other institutions.
Winfrey founded the academy after meeting South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, in 2002. Since opening in 2007, more than 1,000 girls have graduated from the school, which was built at a reported cost of $40 million.
The announcement prompted speculation that the school was closing because of mismanagement, but the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation dismissed the claims.
Foundation consultant Nico Olwagen said Winfrey would continue supporting education through a scholarship programme that will enable academically talented girls from communities across South Africa to attend leading schools.
“The dream was never simply to build a school,” Winfrey said.
“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.”
Gauteng’s education department said it remained committed to preserving the academy’s legacy after taking over the campus.
“We will ensure that this exceptional institution continues to serve the people of Gauteng while honouring the vision upon which it was established,” the department said.
The academy attracted criticism when it opened because of its high-end facilities, which reportedly included two theatres, a yoga studio and a beauty salon. Months later, allegations of abuse were made against a former staff member, who was subsequently cleared of all charges.
The school currently has 281 students enrolled. According to Oprah Daily, many graduates have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, engineers, artists, executives and entrepreneurs.
Graduate Andronica Klaas, now a senior engineering lead at Meta, said: “Every corner of the campus was filled with so much love and care and detail.
“OWLAG convinced me that preparation, character and purpose mattered more than where I came from.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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