Oprah Winfrey to close South African girls' academy

Oprah Winfrey has announced that the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) will close in its current form by the end of 2027 and transition to a nationwide scholarship programme aimed at expanding educational opportunities for disadvantaged young women across South Africa.

The move marks the end of nearly two decades of the boarding school's operations and a shift towards a model that will allow more girls to benefit from educational funding.

"The dream was never simply to build a school. It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women," Winfrey said in a statement.

"My mission doesn't end with one campus. It continues in every girl whose future can be transformed through education."

According to representatives for the media entrepreneur, the new scholarship programme will double the number of girls who receive full educational support compared to the current academy model.

"Overall, there will be double the number of girls who will have access to education through this model," a representative said. "That is the core of the decision to shift to this new model after seeing the success of the students the past 20 years."

The academy was established following a meeting between Winfrey and former South African President Nelson Mandela in 2000 to address educational inequality affecting girls.

In 2002, Winfrey, Mandela and former Education Minister Kader Asmal officially broke ground on the campus in Henley-on-Klip, Gauteng. Winfrey invested more than US$100 million in developing the state-of-the-art boarding school.

The academy opened its doors in January 2007, enrolling girls from disadvantaged backgrounds in Grades 8 to 12 and providing them with world-class educational opportunities.

Its early years were overshadowed by an abuse scandal involving a former staff member, prompting investigations and sweeping reforms to student welfare and safeguarding procedures. Winfrey publicly apologised and introduced new leadership and enhanced protection measures for learners.

The school's first matriculating class graduated in 2012, achieving a 100 percent university acceptance rate.

Since its establishment, the academy has educated more than 1,000 students, with 870 graduates proceeding to universities in South Africa and internationally.

Reflecting on the institution's impact, Winfrey previously described the academy as her greatest legacy.

"This school is my greatest legacy," she said in a 2019 interview. "These girls are my deepest, greatest joy."

The transition to a nationwide scholarship programme is expected to broaden access to quality education by supporting young women across South Africa rather than through a single boarding school campus, extending the academy's mission to empower future female leaders.