The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 has resulted in a chaotic state of affairs in education systems the world over. Lockdowns resulted in a hiatus in teaching schedules and plans, and hence students’ learning. When formal learning eventually resumed amidst the COVID environment, systemic change was inevitable, albeit a forced one, which left many unprepared. This, in turn caused further turmoil amongst educational participants and stakeholders. On a macro level, reports show that the pandemic, its consequence and educational institutions responses to it have also inevitably threatened the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030. While schools and tertiary institutions now work on reviewing long term plans, alongside making teaching-learning adjustments on a daily basis, the role of research to ensure that educational objectives and aspirations are met has to be given emphasis to ensure that decisions and policies are made based on sound empirical data. Based on Ecological Systems Theory (EST) and with reference to the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD for 2030) framework, this paper discusses how institutions can keep the post-pandemic teaching-learning ecosystem in check based on systematic investigative practices.