After nearly two decades of shaping future doctors, engineers and leaders, Oprah Winfrey's famed South African school for girls is preparing to close its doors, but the media mogul says her mission is far from over.

United States talk show legend Oprah Winfrey has announced that the school for girls she opened in South Africa almost 20 years ago will shut at the end of the next academic year, cbinews.tv reports.

In a statement shared with cbinews.tv, Winfrey confirmed that the expansive boarding campus near Johannesburg will be handed over to local education authorities at the end of the 2027 academic year, in line with the original agreement.

Pupils at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls who will not have graduated by then will be offered full scholarships to complete their studies elsewhere. There are currently 281 pupils enrolled.

The school, which cost $40m to build, was inspired by Winfrey's meeting with anti apartheid icon and former South African President Nelson Mandela in 2002.

It opened in the village of Henley on Klip, south of Johannesburg, in 2007 with a mission to educate girls from underprivileged backgrounds. Since then, more than 1,000 girls have graduated.

It has not been without controversy. When it launched, some commentators criticised its lavish facilities, reportedly including two theatres, a yoga studio and a beauty salon, questioning whether the money could have helped more pupils nationwide.

Months after opening, the school also faced scandal when pupils accused a former staff member of abuse. She was later cleared of all charges.

That history sparked fresh online rumours about why the school is now closing, but a PR consultant for the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation has denied speculation that mismanagement is behind the decision.

Nico Olwagen said Winfrey plans to continue her education work by funding a scholarship programme for academically talented girls from communities across the country to attend leading schools.

In her statement, Winfrey, 72, said:

The dream was never simply to build a school. It was to invest in the limitless potential of young women. That mission does not end with one campus. It continues in every girl whose future can be transformed through education.

I am 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.

It is not yet known what the campus will be used for after it is returned. Gauteng province education department told Cbinews. It is committed to preserving and advancing the academy's legacy and will ensure that this exceptional institution continues to serve the people of Gauteng while honouring the vision upon which it was established.

According to Oprah Daily, many graduates have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, engineers, artists, executives and entrepreneurs, including Andronica Klaas, class of 2012 and now a senior engineering lead at tech giant Meta, who said: Every corner of the campus was filled with so much love and care and detail. OWLAG convinced me that preparation, character and purpose mattered more than where I came from.

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