After nearly two decades of transforming the lives of young South African women, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) will close in its current form at the end of 2027.

The announcement was made by media mogul Oprah Winfrey, who said the decision marks the beginning of a new chapter in her mission to make quality education more accessible to academically talented girls across South Africa.

“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.

“The mission does not end with one campus. It continues in every girl whose future can be transformed through education. I am 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.”

Rather than operating a single boarding school, Winfrey’s educational initiative will transition to an expanded scholarship programme that aims to support significantly more girls across the country. According to representatives for the academy, the new model is expected to provide educational opportunities to roughly double the number of learners previously served by the single-campus model.

In line with the original partnership agreement signed when the academy was established, the campus in Henley-on-Klip, Gauteng, will be transferred to the Gauteng Department of Education. The facility will continue operating as a public educational institution after the academy closes.

Current learners will complete their studies at the academy, while any students affected by the transition before graduation will have their tuition fully funded at other leading South African schools.

The academy was officially opened in January 2007 following a promise Winfrey made to former President Nelson Mandela to invest in the education of disadvantaged South African girls. Built at a reported cost of around US$40 million (more than R700 million), the school was created for academically gifted learners from under-resourced communities, offering a world-class education, leadership development and full scholarships.

Since opening its doors, the academy has produced hundreds of graduates, many of whom have gone on to study at leading universities in South Africa, the United States and Europe. Alumni have built careers in medicine, law, engineering, business, science and public service, with the vast majority progressing to higher education after matric.

While the academy faced challenges during its early years, including a widely publicised staff misconduct case, it continued to establish itself as one of South Africa’s most respected schools for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Although the residential academy will close in 2027, Winfrey says her commitment to South African girls remains unchanged. Instead of investing in one campus, the next phase of her education initiative will focus on helping more young women access quality schooling through scholarships, ensuring the academy’s legacy continues well beyond its gates.

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