Oprah Winfrey announced that she will close the prestigious Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) near Johannesburg after the 2027 academic year, ending nearly 20 years of campus-based education.

The academy, which opened in 2007 following a $40 million investment and was inspired by Winfrey's 2002 meeting with Nelson Mandela, has graduated over 1,000 girls who have gone on to careers in medicine, law, engineering, and business.

Students who have not graduated by the time of closure will receive full scholarships to complete their education at other schools. Instead of operating a single boarding school, Winfrey said her foundation will shift its focus to a nationwide scholarship program aimed at helping academically talented girls from disadvantaged communities attend leading schools across South Africa.

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

The academy will be handed over to local education authorities in accordance with the original agreement. The school has faced criticism over its luxurious facilities and was previously involved in controversy regarding abuse allegations against a former staff member, who was later cleared.

Sources