Media mogul and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey has announced that the physical campus of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) in South Africa will close at the end of the 2027 academic year, ushering in a new chapter for one of Africa’s most celebrated educational initiatives.
Rather than ending the program, Winfrey is transforming it into a nationwide scholarship initiative that will support academically gifted young women from disadvantaged backgrounds across South Africa. The move is designed to extend the academy’s reach and create opportunities for significantly more students than the residential school model could accommodate.
The announcement marks a major milestone for the academy, which has spent nearly two decades nurturing future leaders and empowering girls through quality education.
According to Winfrey, transitioning from a single boarding school to a scholarship-based model will allow the organization to reach nearly twice as many girls.
Instead of funding the operations of one residential institution, the academy will provide scholarships for talented students to attend leading secondary schools and universities throughout South Africa.
“The dream was never simply to build a school. It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women,” Winfrey said while announcing the transition.
The scholarship program will continue to focus on academically gifted girls from disadvantaged communities, preserving the academy’s original mission while widening its footprint across the country.
As part of the original partnership agreement established when the academy was founded, the 22-acre campus in Henley-on-Klip, Gauteng, will be handed back to the Gauteng Department of Education once the transition is complete.
The state-of-the-art campus, located south of Johannesburg, has served as home to hundreds of students since opening in 2007. Equipped with modern classrooms, science laboratories, libraries, sports facilities and boarding residences, it has become one of the continent’s most recognizable educational institutions.
School operations will gradually wind down through the end of the 2027 academic year to ensure a smooth transition.
Current students will either complete their studies at the academy or receive support to continue their education at other leading institutions, ensuring that no learner is left behind during the transition.
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls was born from a promise Winfrey made to former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Following discussions about education and poverty in South Africa, Winfrey committed herself to creating opportunities for girls whose academic potential was often limited by economic hardship.
That vision became reality in January 2007 when the academy officially opened its doors.
Winfrey invested hundreds of millions of dollars over the years to build and sustain the institution, creating an environment designed to provide world-class education alongside leadership development, personal growth and mentorship.
From the beginning, the academy sought to identify exceptional young women from disadvantaged backgrounds and equip them with the tools to become future leaders in their communities and beyond.
Since welcoming its first class in 2007, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy has built a remarkable record of academic success.
More than 1,000 young women have graduated from the institution, with an independent study showing that 99% of alumni have gone on to pursue higher education.
Graduates have attended universities in South Africa and around the world, pursuing careers in medicine, engineering, law, business, science, education and public service.
Beyond academic achievement, many alumni have become entrepreneurs, advocates and community leaders, reflecting the academy’s emphasis on leadership, service and social impact.
Although the physical campus will close, Winfrey has emphasized that the academy’s mission remains unchanged.
The transition also ensures that the academy’s founding vision—empowering young women through education—continues long after the campus closes.
