Oprah Winfrey has announced that the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa will close at the end of 2027 after nearly two decades of operation. The campus will transition to the Gauteng Department of Education, while Winfrey expands her scholarship programs to double the reach for young students.
Two Decades of Legacy and the 2027 Closure
The seeds for the academy were planted during a December 2000 visit between former South African president Nelson Mandela and Oprah Winfrey. Two years following that meeting, Winfrey, Mandela, and the then-Minister of Education, Professor Kader Asmal, broke ground on the site located in the south of Johannesburg. Established initially as a public-private partnership with the Gauteng Department of Education, the institution later reconstituted as an independent school in 2006.
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation poured more than $400 million into the campus through personal donations from the talk show host. The academy officially opened its doors in 2007 and graduated its first class of 72 girls in January 2012. By the time it marks its 20th anniversary and shutters at the end of 2027, nearly 900 girls will have graduated from the campus.
Transition Plans and Expanded Scholarships
When the campus closes its doors, control will transfer directly to the Gauteng Department of Education. Before that transition, the academy plans to graduate two more classes of students. For the remaining girls still enrolled at the time of closure, Winfrey has pledged to cover their education in full through their graduation as they transfer to other top-tier schools.
Rather than maintaining a single residential campus, Winfrey plans to pivot toward expansive scholarship programs. Representatives indicated that this new phase will allow the foundation to double the number of young students who gain access to educational opportunities.
“The dream was never simply to build a school. It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women. That mission doesn’t end with one campus. It continues in every girl whose future can be transformed through education. I’m 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.”
Oprah Winfrey, via Daily Mail
Documented Success and Local Recognition
While the closure announcement did not specify what triggered the decision after nearly 20 years, representatives pointed to strong academic outcomes documented in recent evaluations. An independent study commissioned in 2024 determined that 99 percent of surveyed graduates went on to pursue higher education.
Furthermore, the study reported that nearly nine in ten graduates felt the academy provided them with otherwise inaccessible opportunities, while 94 percent stated that education delivered a positive impact on their families. Lebogang Maile, the Gauteng MEC for Education, Arts, Culture and Recreation, expressed deep appreciation for Winfrey’s contributions, noting that her impact extended far beyond the academy’s walls and would continue to be felt for years to come.
