Oliver Twist question -- Oliver's literacy

Cafe Society
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I am reading Oliver Twist for the first time since college 1,000,000 years ago (and enjoying it very much except for the mawkish parts, I must say).

I was surprised to discover that Oliver knows how to read. While running away from his hometown he comes upon a mile marker that “bore in large characters an intimation that it was just seventy miles from that spot to London.” It’s evident that he can read the info on the sign as there’s no one else around to read it to him. Then in chapter 20 of Book 1 his literacy is made abundantly clear because he is allowed to read a book while waiting to be delivered to Sikes for the burglary planned for the evening.

There is no mention of Oliver having been to school or having gotten lessons of any kind, and neither is it clear exactly when he would have had time to learn to read, given his regular work picking oakum. Was it common for workhouse boys of the 1820s and 1830s to be given enough literacy training to permit them to read a book or even a signpost?

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There were some schools for poor children in early 19th century England, so it’s not that unlikely that Oliver at least knew the alphabet and numbers. He only had to be able to read “LONDON 70 MILES”, which doesn’t require a high level of literacy.

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Of course, it could be poetic licence on behalf of Dickens.

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The numbers I can find shows a literacy rate of around 60% for males at that time. It’s more than likely that Oliver had been taught the alphabet, and some basic reading and simple arithmetic. It would probably be a part of his early education, since a child who could read was more useful in any job.