diff --git a/.github/workflows/basic-ci-amd64.yaml b/.github/workflows/basic-ci-amd64.yaml
index 094261b30d..0043fd309e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/basic-ci-amd64.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/basic-ci-amd64.yaml
@@ -47,6 +47,23 @@ jobs:
         env:
           TARGET_BRANCH: ${{ inputs.target-branch }}
 
+      - name: Install yq
+        run: |
+          ./ci/install_yq.sh
+        env:
+          INSTALL_IN_GOPATH: false
+
+      - name: Read properties from versions.yaml
+        run: |
+          go_version="$(yq '.languages.golang.version' versions.yaml)"
+          [ -n "$go_version" ]
+          echo "GO_VERSION=${go_version}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Setup Golang version ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+        uses: actions/setup-go@7a3fe6cf4cb3a834922a1244abfce67bcef6a0c5 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: bash tests/integration/cri-containerd/gha-run.sh install-dependencies
         env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/basic-ci-s390x.yaml b/.github/workflows/basic-ci-s390x.yaml
index cab3d4724e..11362c63bd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/basic-ci-s390x.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/basic-ci-s390x.yaml
@@ -47,8 +47,25 @@ jobs:
         env:
           TARGET_BRANCH: ${{ inputs.target-branch }}
 
+      - name: Install yq
+        run: |
+          ./ci/install_yq.sh
+        env:
+          INSTALL_IN_GOPATH: false
+
+      - name: Read properties from versions.yaml
+        run: |
+          go_version="$(yq '.languages.golang.version' versions.yaml)"
+          [ -n "$go_version" ]
+          echo "GO_VERSION=${go_version}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Setup Golang version ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+        uses: actions/setup-go@7a3fe6cf4cb3a834922a1244abfce67bcef6a0c5 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+
       - name: Install dependencies
-        run: bash tests/integration/cri-containerd/gha-run.sh
+        run: bash tests/integration/cri-containerd/gha-run.sh install-dependencies
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-checks-preview-riscv64.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-checks-preview-riscv64.yaml
index 09131d630f..e1065421cd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-checks-preview-riscv64.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-checks-preview-riscv64.yaml
@@ -82,11 +82,17 @@ jobs:
           ./ci/install_yq.sh
         env:
           INSTALL_IN_GOPATH: false
-      - name: Install golang
+      - name: Read properties from versions.yaml
         if: contains(matrix.component.needs, 'golang')
         run: |
-          ./tests/install_go.sh -f -p
-          echo "/usr/local/go/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+          go_version="$(yq '.languages.golang.version' versions.yaml)"
+          [ -n "$go_version" ]
+          echo "GO_VERSION=${go_version}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+      - name: Setup Golang version ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+        if: contains(matrix.component.needs, 'golang')
+        uses: actions/setup-go@7a3fe6cf4cb3a834922a1244abfce67bcef6a0c5 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
       - name: Setup rust
         if: contains(matrix.component.needs, 'rust')
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/darwin-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/darwin-tests.yaml
index 2881c22c32..1cb10191ab 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/darwin-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/darwin-tests.yaml
@@ -31,10 +31,22 @@ jobs:
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
 
-    - name: Install golang
+    - name: Install yq
       run: |
-        ./tests/install_go.sh -f -p
-        echo "/usr/local/go/bin" >> "${GITHUB_PATH}"
+        ./ci/install_yq.sh
+      env:
+        INSTALL_IN_GOPATH: false
+
+    - name: Read properties from versions.yaml
+      run: |
+        go_version="$(yq '.languages.golang.version' versions.yaml)"
+        [ -n "$go_version" ]
+        echo "GO_VERSION=${go_version}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+    - name: Setup Golang version ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+      uses: actions/setup-go@7a3fe6cf4cb3a834922a1244abfce67bcef6a0c5 # v6.2.0
+      with:
+        go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
 
     - name: Install Rust
       run: ./tests/install_rust.sh
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docs-url-alive-check.yaml b/.github/workflows/docs-url-alive-check.yaml
index 4283e20f8d..4874f33b4d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docs-url-alive-check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docs-url-alive-check.yaml
@@ -24,10 +24,22 @@ jobs:
         fetch-depth: 0
         persist-credentials: false
 
-    - name: Install golang
+    - name: Install yq
       run: |
-        ./tests/install_go.sh -f -p
-        echo "/usr/local/go/bin" >> "${GITHUB_PATH}"
+        ./ci/install_yq.sh
+      env:
+        INSTALL_IN_GOPATH: false
+
+    - name: Read properties from versions.yaml
+      run: |
+        go_version="$(yq '.languages.golang.version' versions.yaml)"
+        [ -n "$go_version" ]
+        echo "GO_VERSION=${go_version}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+    - name: Setup Golang version ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+      uses: actions/setup-go@7a3fe6cf4cb3a834922a1244abfce67bcef6a0c5 # v6.2.0
+      with:
+        go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
 
     - name: Docs URL Alive Check
       run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/govulncheck.yaml b/.github/workflows/govulncheck.yaml
index 3e3483b90c..8a5d40c379 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/govulncheck.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/govulncheck.yaml
@@ -27,10 +27,22 @@ jobs:
           fetch-depth: 0
           persist-credentials: false
 
-      - name: Install golang
+      - name: Install yq
         run: |
-          ./tests/install_go.sh -f -p
-          echo "/usr/local/go/bin" >> "${GITHUB_PATH}"
+          ./ci/install_yq.sh
+        env:
+          INSTALL_IN_GOPATH: false
+
+      - name: Read properties from versions.yaml
+        run: |
+          go_version="$(yq '.languages.golang.version' versions.yaml)"
+          [ -n "$go_version" ]
+          echo "GO_VERSION=${go_version}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Setup Golang version ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+        uses: actions/setup-go@7a3fe6cf4cb3a834922a1244abfce67bcef6a0c5 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
 
       - name: Install govulncheck
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/run-cri-containerd-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/run-cri-containerd-tests.yaml
index 335c27b8e7..2b1dc0383e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run-cri-containerd-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run-cri-containerd-tests.yaml
@@ -53,6 +53,23 @@ jobs:
         env:
           TARGET_BRANCH: ${{ inputs.target-branch }}
 
+      - name: Install yq
+        run: |
+          ./ci/install_yq.sh
+        env:
+          INSTALL_IN_GOPATH: false
+
+      - name: Read properties from versions.yaml
+        run: |
+          go_version="$(yq '.languages.golang.version' versions.yaml)"
+          [ -n "$go_version" ]
+          echo "GO_VERSION=${go_version}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Setup Golang version ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+        uses: actions/setup-go@7a3fe6cf4cb3a834922a1244abfce67bcef6a0c5 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+
       - name: Install dependencies
         timeout-minutes: 15
         run: bash tests/integration/cri-containerd/gha-run.sh install-dependencies
diff --git a/.github/workflows/run-k8s-tests-on-ppc64le.yaml b/.github/workflows/run-k8s-tests-on-ppc64le.yaml
index eab5df5406..b8a07a391d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run-k8s-tests-on-ppc64le.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run-k8s-tests-on-ppc64le.yaml
@@ -57,10 +57,24 @@ jobs:
         env:
           TARGET_BRANCH: ${{ inputs.target-branch }}
 
-      - name: Install golang
+      - name: Install yq
         run: |
-          ./tests/install_go.sh -f -p
-          echo "/usr/local/go/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+          ./ci/install_yq.sh
+        env:
+          INSTALL_IN_GOPATH: false
+
+      - name: Read properties from versions.yaml
+        run: |
+          go_version="$(yq '.languages.golang.version' versions.yaml)"
+          [ -n "$go_version" ]
+          echo "GO_VERSION=${go_version}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+
+      - name: Setup Golang version ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+        uses: actions/setup-go@7a3fe6cf4cb3a834922a1244abfce67bcef6a0c5 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+          # Setup-go doesn't work properly with ppc64le: https://github.com/actions/setup-go/issues/648
+          architecture: 'ppc64le'
 
       - name: Prepare the runner for k8s test suite
         run: bash "${HOME}/scripts/k8s_cluster_prepare.sh"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/static-checks.yaml b/.github/workflows/static-checks.yaml
index fe605e632d..e062db7c95 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/static-checks.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/static-checks.yaml
@@ -126,11 +126,16 @@ jobs:
           ./ci/install_yq.sh
         env:
           INSTALL_IN_GOPATH: false
-      - name: Install golang
+      - name: Read properties from versions.yaml
         run: |
           cd "${GOPATH}/src/github.com/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}"
-          ./tests/install_go.sh -f -p
-          echo "/usr/local/go/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+          go_version="$(yq '.languages.golang.version' versions.yaml)"
+          [ -n "$go_version" ]
+          echo "GO_VERSION=${go_version}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
+      - name: Setup Golang version ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
+        uses: actions/setup-go@7a3fe6cf4cb3a834922a1244abfce67bcef6a0c5 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          go-version: ${{ env.GO_VERSION }}
       - name: Install system dependencies
         run: |
           sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get -y install moreutils hunspell hunspell-en-gb hunspell-en-us pandoc