 Goh akapedza kudzidza paAnglo-Chinese Primary School uye paAnglo-Chinese Secondary School pakati pa1927 na1936 apo aive wechipiri mukirasi yake muSenior Cambridge Examinations, Goh akaenderera mberi nekupedza kudzidza kuRaffles College muna 1939 aine Kirasi II Diploma muArt ine musiyano wakasarudzika mune zvehupfumi. Ipapo akabatana neColonial Civil Service semuteresi neWar Tax Department asi, maererano nevakuru vake, akanga asiri akanaka kwazvo pabasa rake uye akapotsa adzingwa. Nokukurumidza pashure pokutanga kweHondo Yenyika II, akabatana neSingapore Volunteer Corps, boka revarwi vomunzvimbomo, asi akadzokera kubasa rake rapakuvamba pashure pokuwa kweSingapore. Goh akaroora Alice Woon, munyori uyo aive waaishanda naye, muna 1942 uye vakava nemwana wavo mumwe chete, Goh Kian Chee , makore maviri gare gare. Muna 1945 akatamisa mhuri yake duku kuenda kuMalacca, asi vakadzokera kuSingapore gore rakatevera pashure pokunge vaJapan vapedza kutonga. Gore iroro, akabatana neDhipatimendi reSocial Welfare, uye akanga achishingaira muhurumende yepashure pehondo. Akava mutarisiri weDhipatimendi reChikamu Chokuongorora mwedzi mitanhatu gare gare. 