Pupils from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls will be sent for HIV/Aids testing with their parents’ consent, said Oprah Winfrey at the opening of the school at Henley-on-Klip, Meyerton, on Tuesday.
The school for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds was officially opened by Winfrey at a star-studded event.
The school will run independently of the Gauteng education department but all the pupils, from grades seven to 12, would follow the South African curriculum, interim head of the school, Joan Countryman, said at a press conference.
She added that because South Africa has 11 official languages, the school would initially use English, Zulu and Sesotho but try to incorporate all the languages as possible parts of the curriculum.
Winfrey also announced that she would open another school in KwaZulu-Natal at the end of the month — for boys and girls.
Clad in green, gold and white, 13 girls from disadvantaged backgrounds joined Winfrey in hoisting the South African flag and the flag bearing the school crest.
The girls will develop the mission of the school in the spirit of Ubuntu – ”I am because we are.” – Sapa