Oprah Winfrey is bringing one chapter of her education mission to a close while preparing for a much bigger one. Nearly 20 years after opening the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, the media icon has announced that the school will end operations in its current form at the close of 2027.
However, the decision does not mark the end of her commitment to educating young women. Instead, Winfrey plans to expand her impact through a larger scholarship program that will help even more girls across South Africa access quality education.
Oprah Winfrey Expands Her Vision Beyond One School
Winfrey announced that the academy will graduate its final two classes before transferring management of the campus to the Gauteng provincial government. The government will continue operating the facility as a school after the transition.
She explained that the decision reflects the original purpose behind the academy.
“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 released on July 29.
She also stressed that her mission continues beyond the campus.
“My mission does not end with one campus. It continues in every girl whose future can be changed through education.”
Winfrey added that she is excited about the next phase because it will allow her organization to support even more young women throughout South Africa.
Scholarship Program Will Reach More South African Girls
According to Winfrey’s representative, every current student will be supported until graduation. Students who leave the academy before its closure will attend other leading schools, with all tuition costs fully covered by Winfrey.
Once the academy completes its final classes, the expanded scholarship program will begin. The new model is expected to double the number of girls who receive educational opportunities compared to the current school system.
Her representative said the academy’s success over the past two decades inspired the change.
The goal is no longer to focus on one location. Instead, the program aims to open doors for talented girls across the country who may not otherwise have access to excellent schools.
Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Leaves a Lasting Legacy
Since opening its doors in 2007, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls has graduated more than 1,000 students.
Many graduates have continued into higher education. A study referenced by the academy found that nearly every graduate surveyed said their education improved not only their own lives but also the lives of their families.
Winfrey has often described the academy as one of the most meaningful achievements of her life.
In a 2019 interview with People, she said:
“This school is my greatest legacy. These girls are my deepest, greatest joy.”
Although the school faced a difficult controversy involving a former staff member during its early years, it recovered and continued serving girls from disadvantaged communities across South Africa.
Nelson Mandela Helped Inspire the Academy’s Beginning
The idea for the academy began in December 2000 during conversations between Winfrey and former South African President Nelson Mandela.
Both leaders believed education could transform the lives of young girls and strengthen future generations.
Construction officially began in December 2002 with Mandela and then-Education Minister Kader Asmal taking part in the groundbreaking ceremony.
The academy first operated as a partnership with the Gauteng Department of Education. It later became an independent school in 2006 before welcoming its first students in January 2007.
Winfrey personally invested about $400 million to establish and support the academy through the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation.
South African Leaders Praise Oprah Winfrey’s New Direction
South African education officials welcomed the announcement and praised Winfrey’s long-term contribution to the country.
Gauteng MEC for Education Lebogang Maile described the academy as one of South Africa’s most remarkable educational partnerships.
He thanked Winfrey for her years of commitment to educating young women.
“Through this Academy, she has not merely built a school, she has nurtured leaders, expanded opportunities, restored hope and transformed lives,” Maile said.
He also noted that the academy’s influence would continue for many years because investing in girls strengthens families, communities, and society as a whole.
