From school to scholarships: Oprah Winfrey is reshaping the future of girls' education in South Africa.
The foundation confirms that the decision aims to expand scholarships and support talented girls.
Written by: Mohammed Omran
American celebrity Oprah Winfrey plans to close the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa at the end of the 2027 academic year, nearly two decades after its founding, in a move she said is part of a new plan to expand educational opportunities for talented girls across the country.
Oprah Winfrey closes her South African girls' academy after 20 years, transforming it into a nationwide scholarship program.
According to the foundation, the academy, located near Johannesburg, will be handed over to the South African education authorities, in accordance with the original agreement, while students who did not complete their studies before the closure date will receive full scholarships to complete their education in other schools.
Winfrey confirmed that her foundation would abandon its single-school boarding school model and instead focus on a national scholarship program that would allow academically gifted girls from disadvantaged communities to attend leading schools across South Africa.
Winfrey said: “The dream was not just to build a school, but to invest in the unlimited potential of young women.”
The idea for the academy came about after a meeting between Winfrey and the late South African President Nelson Mandela in 2002, before it was officially opened in 2007 with an investment of about $40 million.
Since its opening, more than 1,000 female students have graduated, and many of them have continued to study and work in the fields of medicine, law, engineering, and business administration.
Over the years, the academy has faced criticism for its luxurious facilities, and allegations of abuse by a former faculty member were previously raised, before he was later acquitted.
The organization denied what was circulating on social media regarding the closure decision being linked to mismanagement, stressing that the decision comes within the framework of a new strategy aimed at expanding the scope of its educational programs and reaching a larger number of female students throughout South Africa.
