Breaking the Darwinian Monopoly: Reflections on the New Education Agenda

Nearly 300 scientists demand a shift from profit
to “fostering human flourishing” in education—
is it time to break free from Darwin’s grip?

by Dr. Sarah Buckland-Reynolds

In a thought-provoking publication in Nature Partner Journals (npj) Science of Learning in May 2025, Nandini Chatterjee Singh and team advocated for A new education agenda based on The International Science and Evidence Based Education Assessment (ISEE Assessment).

This multidisciplinary team comprising almost 300 scientists from 45 countries, called for a shift from an economic growth focus in education towards “fostering human flourishing” and “the need to think beyond existing conventions”. As the expected outcome of this intervention is a close alignment with UNESCO’s forthcoming Futures of Education report, which identifies “future research priorities in education”, it is prudent for Christian parents and students alike to critically assess these identified priorities, noting how some of the detrimental implications inherent to the evolutionary direction of public education are now being implicitly recognized.

The article begins by reflecting on the current state of education, heavily rooted in meritocracy—rewarding individual performance—which prioritizes materialism over cooperative skills. Quoting from the article:

Current education systems embrace economic growth and financial prosperity as the primary paths to well-being and societal advancement. Consequently, while the last few decades have shown an upward progression in literacy, numeracy, enrolment [sic], merit, credentials, and technological advances…, it was mirrored by a downward trend in agency, humanistic values, relationships, and civic engagement. Moreover, the priority given to developing individual skills and knowledge for economic productivity while neglecting holistic development seems also to have reinforced existing power structures and social disparities, favoring those with access to better-quality education or higher socioeconomic status, and thereby ultimately contributing to increased inequality.

Whether intentionally or not, by establishing their perspectives on what needs to be changed from the current state of education, the authors quite potently critique the prevailing worldview of materialism in contrast to a more desirable worldview emphasizing agency and relationships.

But, as the Western educational setting has largely been dominated by Darwinian thought, why should an emphasis on materialism be problematic?

Darwinian Dominance and Materialism: A Faulty Foundation in Modern Education

Reflection on the Darwinian influence on modern education’s trajectory is not at the least irrelevant, since the early foundations of various international education bodies were heavily influenced by the eugenic and evolutionary philosophies of the likes of Julian Huxley. Jean Piaget and John Dewey, who popularized constructivism that posits that reality is not absolute but ‘constructed’ based on perceptions. The mainstreaming of such influences has been publicly documented in journals such as Journal of Modern European History and the Revista Universitară de Sociologie.

The team of scientists in our focus article rightfully identified the problematic outcomes of emphasizing materialism and subsequent inequalities as consequences of modern educational approaches. However, putting on the Darwinian thinking cap, materialism and competition for survival would naturally lead to inequalities and disparities – (a necessary mechanism for their worldview) for overall advancement. In a biological sense, such a hierarchy is natural, as the end goal of evolution is for the ‘fittest’ to emerge as survivors, while in a social sense, advancement of the individual towards domination would be a natural goal.

Within a Darwinian framework, which prioritizes individual survival and competition, the educational push for collaborative “human flourishing” and “agency” to reduce disparities appears inherently contradictory. On what grounds can students be taught that they possess agency, while being led to believe life evolved from unguided physics and chemical reactions? Perhaps, the team may be borrowing from a superior worldview to Darwinism because modern education is beginning to realize the detrimental fruits of this worldview?

The Tension Tightens: Moving Beyond Monopoly

The article authored by Nandini Chatterjee Singh and team advocates that “…education should concentrate on dynamic processes with open-ended outcomes rather than embrace a static worldview”. In a historical context where educators exposing the flaws of Darwinian evolution meant risking fines, job losses, costly lawsuits or even being denied recognition for their inventions, this call for openness may be groundbreaking.

Dr Bergman has published three thick volumes with true stories of how Darwinists systematically censor and ruin the careers of Darwin skeptics.

True ‘open-ended’ exploration would mean embracing questions to the evolutionary theory and creating an open space for scrutiny. Enabling free discussions on underlying philosophies and exposing assumptions made in interpretations would certainly revolutionize classroom approaches, if applied to the seemingly sacred space of evolutionary theory. While advocating for open-ended education would not necessarily transform the thinking of the next generation toward truth, at the very least, challenging assumptions (including those of evolution) may reduce the likelihood of passive acceptance of this dominant narrative presently taught as unassailable in schools, colleges and universities.

Pathways to Rebuilding Critical Thinking

As Christians, how do we take this new direction in education agenda as a steppingstone towards a truth-seeking approach? Here are three pathways:

• Champion Clarity in Scientific Controversies: Open-ended education should encourage instructors to be fully transparent about the flaws of evolutionary theory and expose them to competing perspectives, such as intelligent design. Exposing students to the full breadth of scientific discourse not only paints a more accurate picture about the present state of scientific debate but builds critical thinking skills from early on to weigh evidence and devise alternative interpretations rather than simply accepting the conclusions handed to them. This also encourages intellectual honesty and analytical rigor.
• Expand Philosophical Inquiry Beyond Naturalism: The dominance of philosophical naturalism in science classrooms limits students’ ability to question fundamental assumptions. As the materialist outcomes of current educational approaches have suppressed concern for the collective, a paradigm shift away from naturalism and materialism may be the most prudent foundation.
• Cultivating a Culture of Respectful Conversation: Instead of monopolizing thought and ostracizing ideas that contradict the prevailing worldview, schools should promote open discussion forums where students engage in rigorous debates about scientific theories, including the strengths and weaknesses of Darwinian evolution. Instead of presenting a single viewpoint, education should teach students how to think; not just what to think.

Hope for a brighter future in education

While evolution and worldviews were not explicitly central to the topic of Nandini Chatterjee Singh and team’s assessment forming the New Education Agenda, their conclusion potently pointed to the underlying influence of worldviews in shaping the minds of the future of our society. They are correct in a sense: The present educational system (built on naturalism) is destroying holistic values that demand looking beyond material gains. If open-ended education de-emphasizing materialism is on the horizon, we could be one step closer to breaking strongholds built on atheistic foundations. Christian parents, teachers, and all like-minded stakeholders must hold systems accountable to foster a truth-seeking generation.

Dr. Sarah Buckland-Reynolds is a Christian, Jamaican, Environmental Science researcher, and journal associate editor. She holds the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geography from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona with high commendation, and a postgraduate specialization in Geomatics at the Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. The quality of her research activity in Environmental Science has been recognized by various awards including the 2024 Editor’s Award from the American Meteorological Society for her reviewing service in the Weather, Climate and Society Journal, the 2023 L’Oreal/UNESCO Women in Science Caribbean Award, the 2023 ICETEX International Experts Exchange Award for study in Colombia. and with her PhD research in drought management also being shortlisted in the top 10 globally for the 2023 Allianz Climate Risk Award by Munich Re Insurance, Germany. Motivated by her faith in God and zeal to positively influence society, Dr. Buckland-Reynolds is also the founder and Principal Director of Chosen to G.L.O.W. Ministries, a Jamaican charitable organization which seeks to amplify the Christian voice in the public sphere and equip more youths to know how to defend their faith.