Stirling High School’s Engineering Graphics and Design (EGD) matric class of 2025 have drawn their way onto the national stage, clinching eighth place in SA and cementing the East London school’s reputation as a powerhouse in one of the country’s toughest subjects.
In a year when timetables were crammed with heavy-hitting subjects such as maths, physical sciences and life sciences, this group still managed to ensure that 41% of the class walked away with A symbols — an achievement as precise and hard-earned as the drawings they turn out on their boards.
For EGD teacher Monique Moss, the ranking is more than just a number; it is confirmation that quiet hours bent over set squares and construction lines have paid off.
“It feels good to know we are still in the top 20 for another year. I am grateful we improved from position 12 to eight this year,” said Moss.
She credited her pupils for matching her high expectations with their own hunger to excel.
“There is nothing better than a learner who wants to make themselves proud as well as you.
“They were just as determined and motivated as me to be the best.”
EGD is the language of engineers, architects and designers and it demands a rare blend of accuracy and imagination, calling on pupils to visualise complex forms in three dimensions and translate them into flawless lines, angles and projections.
Moss says she knows that this level of discipline does not happen by accident, so she arms her pupils with every tool available. She uses apps and video tutorials to reinforce concepts, step-by-step strategies for answering questions, and a relentless insistence on staying ahead of the workload.
“You need to stay on top of the workload and not fall behind in your drawings. Write down the steps to do certain aspects of the concepts.
“This matric group knew what their goals were for the year and what they wanted to achieve — excellence,” she said.
In a subject where every paper feels like a race against the clock, she rehearsed them in working under pressure, knowing which question to tackle first in an exam, which drawings would demand the most attention, and where the bulk of the marks lay.
She says time management, in her class is not an abstract skill but a survival tactic.
“Consistency and discipline are the true drafting instruments of success.
“You cannot achieve good marks if you do not practise your skill set every day.
“An athlete does not just run a 10-100m sprint without practising, the same rule applies in this subject. It’s a practical subject,” she says.
Yet Moss is acutely aware of the juggling act her pupils face: many of those who choose EGD also shoulder mathematics and physical science or life sciences, all of which demand hours of revision and problem-solving.
The danger, she notes, is that some pupils wake up to the workload too late.
Her advice is blunt: “Prioritise, plan, and stick ruthlessly to deadlines.”
Beyond the classroom, Moss sees EGD as a passport into a country hungry for technical skills.
SA’s economy, she argues, is leaning ever more heavily on technology, artisanship and engineering, and the shortage of qualified people in technical fields means the right skill set can almost guarantee employability.
“Technology is the future of South Africa; artisans and technical fields are in dire need of employees.
“Many learners might not be able to afford university, and this is where vocational education in tertiary fields is so important,” she said.
“Learners need to realise that the skills shortage guarantees them a future in South Africa.”
