Media mogul Oprah Winfrey announced she will close the residential campus of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa at the end of 2027. The landmark institution, which opened nearly twenty years ago, will transition its operations back to the local government as Winfrey shifts her philanthropic focus toward an expanded scholarship framework.
Under the leadership transition plan, the 22-acre campus located in Henley on Klip, Gauteng Province, will be handed over to the Gauteng Department of Education. This return complies with the terms of the academy's original public-private partnership agreement.
Representatives for Winfrey confirmed that the school will graduate two final classes before the official closure. Any remaining students enrolled at that time will be placed into other top-tier academic institutions, with Winfrey covering 100 percent of their tuition and educational expenses through their graduation.
The decision to shutter the single-campus model stems from a strategic goal to scale up educational investments. According to representatives close to the initiative, the new scholarship model is projected to double the total number of young women who will receive financial access to quality education throughout South Africa.
“The dream was never simply to build a school. It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women,” Winfrey said in a public statement released on Wednesday, July 29.
The media icon emphasised that her overarching philanthropic mission extends well beyond the physical boundaries of a single campus. She noted that the initiative will live on through every individual student whose future outlook is fundamentally reshaped via educational support.
“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,” Winfrey added.
Conceived initially in December 2000 during discussions between Winfrey and former South African President Nelson Mandela, the academy officially opened its doors in January 2007. Winfrey personally invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the facility over its lifetime, creating a tuition-free boarding school equipped with state-of-the-art science labs, computer facilities, and wellness centres for talented girls hailing from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Over its operational history, the academy has successfully graduated more than 1,000 students. Alumni surveys published by the academy indicate that nearly all graduates pursued higher education, subsequently moving on to professional careers as lawyers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and medical doctors while uplifting their broader families.
While the residential campus era is drawing to a close, representatives stress that the upcoming scholarship model represents a natural evolution of Winfrey’s long-term commitment to African youth. The new grants will begin rolling out broadly once the academy's final classes complete their studies.