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Oprah Winfrey to Close South African Leadership Academy in 2027 to Launch Expanded Scholarship Program

Oprah Winfrey announced that the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) in South Africa will cease operations as a residential boarding school at the end of the 2027 academic year. The school, which was founded in 2007 in partnership with Nelson Mandela, will be returned to the Gauteng Department of Education as per the original agreement. Instead of maintaining a single campus, Oprah Winfrey will shift her focus to an expanded scholarship program. This initiative will provide tuition-free education for academically talented girls from disadvantaged backgrounds across the country, effectively doubling the number of students who can access the academy's educational model. Current students will receive uninterrupted academic and financial support until they graduate. Since its opening, the academy has produced over 1,000 graduates who have entered various professional fields. While the school faced early controversy regarding a staff member's abuse allegations, it has successfully transformed the lives of many young women. Oprah Winfrey stated that the mission to invest in the potential of young women continues beyond a single campus.

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