Oprah Winfrey South African school will close in 2027 after nearly two decades of educating young girls through leadership and opportunity. Oprah announced the decision while unveiling plans to expand educational scholarships across South Africa for deserving female students.

Instead of operating the boarding school directly, Oprah will support more girls through an expanded scholarship program beginning after the transition completes. The Gauteng Department of Education will assume responsibility for managing the academy when current operations officially conclude during 2027.

The media icon opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in 2007 with a mission empowering talented young women through education. Since opening its doors, the academy has graduated more than 1,000 students who pursued brighter futures through academic excellence and leadership.

Explaining the decision, Oprah said, “The dream was never simply to build a school. It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women. “She added, “That mission doesn’t end with one campus. It continues in every girl whose future can be transformed through education.”

Oprah Winfrey South African school will continue supporting current students throughout the transition before government officials assume responsibility for the institution’s future operations. Oprah’s representatives confirmed every student unable to complete studies there will attend other top-tier schools with tuition fully funded until graduation.

The new scholarship initiative aims to reach more girls across South Africa than the academy could educate from one campus alone. Oprah believes expanding financial support will create greater opportunities while continuing her long-standing commitment to empowering young women through quality education.

The transition marks the end of one chapter while opening another focused on broader educational access, leadership development, and lasting opportunities for South African girls.