Oprah Winfrey to wind down operations of $40m South African girls academy

Oprah Winfrey, the American media mogul has announced plans to wind down operations at her flagship South African girls’ academy by the end of 2027.

The aim is to shift operational resources of the elite institution directly into tuition coverage at existing top-tier secondary schools eliminates structural operational costs, freeing up capital to fund a significantly larger cohort of scholars.

The $40 million residential campus will be transferred to the state while moving towards a decentralized, nation-wide scholarship model.

The facility located in Henley on Klip will be handed over to the Gauteng Department of Education in accordance with the project’s original founding agreement.

The decision marks a fundamental shift from brick-and-mortar educational infrastructure to asset-light, high-yield capital deployment.

Winfrey’s foundation aims to double the number of young women it supports across South Africa, by substituting capital-intensive physical maintenance with direct tuition financing.

The high-end boarding school currently serves 322 students across grades eight to twelve with a staff of 33 and carries substantial per-pupil overheads spanning residential facilities, catering, and property grounds.

“The dream was never simply to build a school,” Winfrey, 72, said in a statement detailing the transition. “It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women. That mission doesn’t end with one campus.”

The transition will be implemented gradually over the next two years. Two additional classes will graduate on site before the state takeover. For students unable to complete their secondary education at the academy prior to the handover, Winfrey’s foundation will cover full tuition and placement costs at alternative leading institutions through to their graduation.

The academy opened in January 2007 following a $40 million initial investment, stemming from a 2000 dialogue between Winfrey and former Nelson Mandela, former South African president on addressing systemic poverty through targeted education.

Since its inauguration, the school has graduated over 1,000 students from disadvantaged backgrounds, maintaining a rigorous curriculum through the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) framework.

Alumni have consistently secured placements at top-tier universities across South Africa and internationally, in law, medicine, technology, and corporate leadership courses.

While the institution navigated operational headwinds early in its inception including high-profile personnel controversies in late 2007, it established itself as one of the most prominent private educational philanthropic projects on the continent.