Oprah’s school enters new era as GDE prepares to take over

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has vowed to preserve the legacy of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) as American media mogul, Oprah Winfrey, prepares to hand over the Meyerton campus to the provincial government.

Gauteng Education MEC, Lebogang Maile, said on Thursday following a meeting with Winfrey, that the administrative processes for the transfer of the academy’s assets and facilities have begun and will continue over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.

The GDE is expected to take over the residential campus in line with the original partnership agreement between Winfrey and the department.

“Following the completion of the 2027 academic year, the residential campus will conclude its role as the heart of the programme and be returned to South Africa’s Gauteng Department of Education,” the organisation said.

The transition marks the end of the boarding school’s nearly two-decade model and the beginning of a broader national scholarship programme expected to reach more girls across the country.

“The dream 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,” said Winfrey.

The academy, founded by the philanthropist following conversations with late former president, Nelson Mandela, opened its doors in 2007 and has since produced more than 1,000 graduates, most of whom have gone on to pursue higher education and careers in various fields.

According to Winfrey, all current students will be allowed to complete their education with uninterrupted academic, financial and personal support. 

MEC Maile praised Winfrey for investing in South Africa, recognising her “extraordinary vision, generosity and unwavering commitment to the education of South Africa’s young women”. 

He also described the academy as one of the country’s most successful educational partnerships. 

“Her extraordinary legacy reminds us that when we educate and empower a girl, we do more than change one life; we unlock human potential, strengthen families, transform communities and help build the capable, inclusive and prosperous South Africa to which we all aspire,” said Maile.

Following the completion of the 2027 academic year, the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls will transition to the Gauteng Department of Education under the leadership of MEC @LebogangMaile1, in accordance with the original partnership agreement. We extend our sincere… pic.twitter.com/zvEEvjCkZv

— Gauteng Department of Education (@EducationGP1) July 30, 2026

We met with Ms. Oprah Winfrey to discuss the transition of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls’ assets to the Gauteng Department of Education at the end of the 2027 academic year. This transition will ensure that the Academy’s legacy of academic excellence, leadership… pic.twitter.com/HKkfzA2Qsb

— Lebogang Maile (@LebogangMaile1) July 30, 2026