Oprah Winfrey Reshapes Her South Africa Education Project After Nearly Two Decades

Oprah Winfrey is changing the direction of her education project in South Africa.

The billionaire talk show host launched the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) as a tuition-free school to help academically gifted girls from poor backgrounds.

The school has been running for nearly two decades but will no longer follow its initial purpose as Oprah Winfrey hopes to help more girls achieve their academic goals. The change comes years after the school was plagued by controversy.

News of OWLAG’s new direction broke on Wednesday, July 29, through its founder. Winfrey announced in a statement that the educational project would cease all operations in its current form at the end of 2027. A rep for the media personality shed more light on the subject.

The rep explained that the school would graduate two more classes of girls before the new changes were implemented, while the remaining students would be moved to new schools. They claimed Winfrey wasn’t leaving these students to fend for themselves, telling PEOPLE:

“[They] will go to other top-tier schools with their tuition paid for in total by Ms. Winfrey through their graduation.”

The Changes Are Aimed At Helping More Female Students

The rep added that Winfrey was changing OWLAG’s direction to help more female students achieve their academic goals. She planned to do so by launching a scholarship program, which would begin after the academy’s students have graduated.

The rep praised Winfrey’s decision to launch the scholarship program, claiming, “Overall, there will be double the amount of girls who will have access to education through this model.” They added that the decision stemmed from “the success of the students over the past 20 years.”

More than 1,000 girls have reportedly graduated from the academy since it opened in 2007. Winfrey previously raved about OWLAG’s success in a 2019 interview with the outlet, dubbing the school her “greatest legacy” and its students her “deepest, greatest joy.”

More About The Billionaire Philanthropist’s New Plans

In her July 29 statement, Winfrey explained that “the residential campus of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls will conclude its role as the center of the program” following the completion of the 2027 academic year. She noted control of the school would return to the Gauteng Department of Education.

Newsday shared that Winfrey was stepping back to launch a scholarship program aimed at supporting young women at leading schools throughout South Africa. “The dream was never simply to build a school. It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women,” the billionaire declared.

Winfrey noted her mission wouldn’t end with one campus but continue to “every girl whose future can be transformed through education.” She expressed excitement for the program’s new chapter and hoped to reach more girls across South Africa.

OWLAG Was Initially A Public-Private Partnership With The Government

As shared by the outlet, the talk show host’s OWLAG project dates back to December 2000. At the time, she and Nelson Mandela discussed creating an educational path for girls in South Africa and began making preparations for that goal two years later.

Winfrey, Mandela, and then Education Minister Kader Asmal broke ground on the future site for OWLAG on December 6, 2002. The project was initially launched as a public-private partnership with the Gauteng Department of Education before the school went independent in 2006.

The academy officially opened its doors in January 2007 and held its first graduation on January 14, 2012, with 72 students. Winfrey choosing 2027 to change the project’s direction was symbolic as the year marked OWLAG’s 20th anniversary.

Abuse Controversies Nearly Ruined Oprah Winfrey’s Academy

The same year the “A Wrinkle in Time” actress launched OWLAG, she was met with an abuse scandal happening within the doors of her academy. The Guardian covered the story, reporting that the school’s former dormitory matron, Virginia Mokgobo, was slammed with scathing allegations.

Mokgobo faced 13 charges of assault, indecent assault, and soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts. Winfrey described the news as “one of the most devastating, if not the most devastating, experiences” of her life. The alleged victims included at least six girls and a 23-year-old woman.

Two years later, the boarding school faced another sexual abuse scandal. NBC Washington reported that seven students were suspended for allegedly sexually harassing and fondling classmates. They were also accused of enticing students into lesbian encounters.

Will Oprah Winfrey’s new scholarship program be the success she hopes for?