After 20 years of educating and empowering young girls from disadvantaged communities across South Africa, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (Owlag) will close its campus doors at the end of 2027. However, it is not the end of Oprah Winfrey’s commitment to educating SA’s young women.
Supplied image: 2019 Owlag graduation
On Wednesday, 29 July 2026, the Academy announced that the residential campus of Owlag will conclude its role as the centre of the programme, following the completion of the 2027 academic year. In accordance with the partnership agreement entered into in the early 2000s, the premises and assets will be handed over to the Gauteng Department of Education, which will determine the future use of the site.
Protected support for scholars
The Academy has assured that the scholarship and support of every girl currently enrolled are fully protected, right through to the completion of Grade 12, whether at Owlag or another school. An expert placement team is leading the transition process in direct consultation with every parent and girl, prioritising academic fit, well-being and continuity.
Throughout the transition, the Academy confirmed its continuing commitment to the holistic development of every student and to its growing network of alumnae through mentorship, leadership development and higher education support.
Broadening scholarship
What will remain of the Owlag legacy is an expanded scholarship programme that will provide educational opportunities for academically talented girls, and will support their attendance at leading schools throughout South Africa. It is expected to reach at least double the number of young women across the country.
"The dream was never simply to build a school,” said Oprah Winfrey. “It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women. That mission doesn’t end with one campus. It continues in every girl whose future can be transformed through education. 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.”
Supplied image: 2007 Owlag ribbon-cutting ceremony
Impact and lasting benefits
An independent study commissioned in 2024 found that 99% of surveyed graduates went on to higher education, nearly nine in 10 said Owlag gave them opportunities they would never otherwise have had, and 94% reported that their education positively transformed their families. Today, Owlag alumnae are serving as doctors, educators, engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, scientists, business leaders and changemakers across South Africa and around the world.
The Gauteng MEC for Education, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, expressed his sincere appreciation to Winfrey for her extraordinary contribution to education in the Gauteng province. Through the transition of the Academy's assets to the Gauteng Department of Education, the Department aims to ensure that the Owlag's legacy of academic excellence, leadership development, and the creation of opportunities through education continues to benefit future generations of learners.
