Oprah Winfrey is closing her South African school, but is already planning what's next

Nearly twenty years after its opening, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls will cease operations in its current form at the end of the 2027 school year. Located in Henley-on-Klip, south of Johannesburg, the institution welcomed bright teenage girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The campus will be handed over to the Gauteng Provincial Department of Education, in accordance with the agreement reached at its creation. Students who have not completed their schooling by the time of the transition will receive full scholarships enabling them to continue their studies at other leading South African institutions.

Oprah Winfrey launched this project after meeting Nelson Mandela in the early 2000s. Built for approximately $40 million and inaugurated in 2007, the school offered boarding facilities and particularly ambitious amenities. More than 1,000 young women are said to have graduated from the academy, some of whom have become doctors, engineers, lawyers, or business leaders.

A closure that primarily marks a change of model

The announcement sparked rumors of potential internal difficulties, which were immediately denied by the American television host's foundation. The closure would not signify an abandonment of its educational commitment, but rather a shift to an expanded scholarship program. This new system is designed to allow talented students from across the country to attend several partner institutions.

This change also addresses a long-standing criticism. At its opening, the campus's luxurious features, including theaters and a yoga studio, raised questions about the concentration of considerable resources for the benefit of a limited number of students. The scholarship system could now double the number of young women supported while reducing the costs associated with running a single institution.

The academy's history has not been without controversy, particularly following accusations of abuse against a former employee, who was ultimately acquitted. Oprah Winfrey, now 72, continues to present the school as one of her most important legacies. The provincial government has pledged to preserve the site's educational purpose, although the precise details of its future management remain to be defined.