Oprah Winfrey’s South Africa Girls’ School To Close After Nearly 20 Years

Oprah Winfrey’s South Africa girls’ school to close after nearly 20 years US media personality Oprah Winfrey has announced that the girls’ boarding school she founded in South Africa nearly two decades ago will close next year, marking the end of an ambitious educational project aimed at empowering young women from disadvantaged backgrounds.The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls OWLAG, located in Henley on Klip, Gauteng Province, was opened in 2007 with the goal of providing academically gifted girls from across South Africa with access to world-class education and leadership opportunities. Winfrey said the decision to close the school was made after careful consideration of its future direction and impact. She expressed pride in the achievements of the institution, which has produced graduates who have gone on to study at leading universities and pursue careers in various fields.

The academy was established following Winfrey’s visit to South Africa and her commitment to creating educational opportunities for girls who had limited access to quality schooling. The project attracted global attention, with Winfrey personally investing millions of dollars in its development and operation. Since its launch, the school has educated hundreds of young women, many of whom have described the institution as transformative in shaping their academic and personal growth. The announcement has generated mixed reactions, with some former students and supporters mourning the closure of a school that became a symbol of opportunity and female empowerment, while others praised its contribution to education in South Africa. Winfrey said the legacy of the academy would continue through its graduates, who she described as the embodiment of the school’s mission to develop confident, compassionate and socially responsible leaders.