Oprah Winfrey has announced that her school for underprivileged girls in South Africa will close at the end of next year. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls was opened in 2007 after Winfrey was inspired by conversations with former South African President Nelson Mandela about the transformative power of educating girls.
Continued Commitment to Education
Although the school will be closing, Winfrey’s commitment to educating South African girls will continue through an expanded national scholarship program. This program will support academically talented girls at leading schools across the country. More than 500 girls have graduated from the academy, with some attending top universities in South Africa, the United States, and Europe.
The Gauteng provincial government will take over the 52-acre academy campus, which includes 21 classrooms, six science and computer laboratories, a 10,000-volume library, and a 600-seat theater. The government has assured that students currently enrolled will be able to complete their education with uninterrupted financial support.
Original reporting: NBC10 Boston — read the source article.
