THE slew of reforms in Singapore's education system to raise standards at all levels and strengthen the teaching service has paid off, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday.

As a result of these changes, schools are developing their own identities and expertise, there is a high standard across the board in all schools, and a number of outstanding schools and many models of success have emerged.

Students are well-educated, employable, with a sense of social responsibility, and their principals and teachers are proud of what they are doing.

This system is helping to produce a competent, creative people, who are literate and well-socialised. It is also grooming leaders of tomorrow, said PM Lee, in his keynote address to a World Convention of the International Confederation of Principals.

In his speech, Mr Lee shared Singapore's experience in reforming the education system and took stock of what the changes have achieved.

The education system had evolved from the British education system. The older system was established in the 1950s when Singapore first achieved self-governance. To keep up with the changing times and Singapore?s evolving needs, a series of reforms was launched in the late 1990s, with focus on raising teaching standards.

More resources were pumped into the sector, including better pay for teachers, better career opportunities for them, and IT was deployed.

Mr Lee said the reforms, in particular, the second wave, took a long time and persistent efforts to take effect, but they have borne fruit.

Efforts will continue to improve the system.

Mr Lee said these will include recruiting more teachers, who must be graduates from 2015, a stronger body to champion professional development, rebalancing the curriculum to place more emphasis on "soft" skills, and creating more pathways to success.

'There is always room for improvement. We owe it to our children to constantly upgrade our education systems," said Mr Lee.