Media mogul and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey has announced that the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) in South Africa will close at the end of the 2027 academic year, marking the end of two decades of operation.
According to Oprah Daily, the school’s campus will be returned to South Africa’s Gauteng Department of Education, in line with the original partnership agreement established when the academy was founded.
Current students will complete their education without disruption, with Winfrey continuing to fully fund their tuition through graduation.
Although the academy will cease operations, Winfrey will continue supporting girls’ education in South Africa through a new scholarship programme, which will begin after the remaining OWLAG students graduate.
A representative for Winfrey told People that the new initiative is expected to “double the amount of girls who will have access to education through this model.”
“The core of the decision is to shift to this new model after seeing the success of the students over the past 20 years,” the representative added.
The spokesperson also confirmed that the remaining students would transfer to other top-tier schools, with all tuition costs covered by Winfrey until they complete their education.
Reflecting on the academy’s impact, the 72-year-old media icon praised its graduates in a video shared by Oprah Daily.
“I am dazzled and in awe of them,” Winfrey said. “Spanning every area of the workforce, they are businesswomen and lawyers, mothers, doctors, digital content creators, artists, managers and CEOs.”
She added, “The dream that began with one academy will now reach even farther, opening doors for even more young women across South Africa through scholarships and educational partnerships.”
Winfrey reaffirmed her commitment to empowering young women through education, saying the new scholarship programme would continue her long-standing mission.
“To help young women discover their own power, transform their own lives, and in doing so, transform the future of South Africa. That promise doesn’t end here. It just keeps growing,” she said.
