Story perspectives

Oprah to Close Academy, Fund Tuition, Expand Scholarships

7/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

Oprah Winfrey announced July 29, 2026 that the academy will close after 2027 and be handed to Gauteng’s Department of Education.
Opened in 2007, the school has graduated over 1,000 girls and now serves 281 students.
Winfrey will fund tuition for all remaining students even if they move to other top-tier schools.
Two more classes will graduate before the transfer.
A scholarship programme will launch to double the number of girls served via partnerships.

History

Historical Context

After the United Nations adopted the 2000 Millennium Declaration, its third Millennium Development Goal demanded gender-parity in primary and secondary schooling by 2005, a target endorsed by all 191 UN member states. Decades later, Oprah Winfrey’s 2026 transfer of her 2007 academy to Gauteng’s Department of Education embodies that MDG-driven push for public-private partnerships to expand girls’ education.

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Story summary

Oprah Winfrey announced July 29, 2026 that the academy will close after 2027 and be handed to Gauteng’s Department of Education.
Opened in 2007, the school has graduated over 1,000 girls and now serves 281 students.
Winfrey will fund tuition for all remaining students even if they move to other top-tier schools.
Two more classes will graduate before the transfer.
A scholarship programme will launch to double the number of girls served via partnerships.

1 / 2