Oprah Winfrey announces closure of her SA school for girls
Oprah Winfrey is closing the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (Owlag) in South Africa after 20 years, transitioning her investment into a national scholarship program. The school's campus will be handed over to the Gauteng department of education after the 2027 academic year.
Why it matters
This marks a significant shift in philanthropic strategy for a high-profile educational institution, moving from a single-site model to a broader, decentralized support system.
Media mogul Oprah Winfrey’s investment in education in South Africa is shifting towards a scholarship programme to support girls accepted into leading schools throughout the country.
This comes as she announces the Henley-on-Klip school will be handed over to the government to administer.
Since opening its doors in 2007, more than 1,000 pupils were admitted to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (Owlag), the institution said in a statement.
The closure of the campus as the centre of the Winfrey programme takes effect after the completion of the 2027 academic year.
The handover of the property to the Gauteng department of education is in accordance with the original partnership agreement, according to Owlag.
“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.”
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