By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
After nearly two decades of transforming the lives of young women in South Africa, Oprah Winfrey has announced that her Leadership Academy for Girls will close following the 2027 academic year. But while the residential school is ending, Winfrey says her commitment to education is entering a new chapter.
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls will graduate its final two classes before the Gauteng provincial government assumes operation of the campus as a public school. Students who have not completed their education by then will have their tuition fully funded by Winfrey through graduation.
“The dream was never simply to build a school,” Winfrey said in a statement. “It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women.”
Instead of operating a single residential academy, Winfrey plans to launch an expanded scholarship program that is expected to provide educational opportunities for roughly twice as many girls across South Africa.
Founded in 2007, the academy was created to serve academically gifted girls from underserved communities. More than 1,000 students have graduated from the school, with many continuing on to colleges and universities while becoming leaders in their communities.
Although the academy faced challenges shortly after opening, it went on to establish a reputation for academic excellence, leadership development, and life-changing opportunities for young women.
Winfrey said expanding scholarships will allow her educational mission to reach even more students than the academy could serve alone.
“This school is my greatest legacy,” she told People magazine in 2019. “These girls are my deepest, greatest joy.”