SANTIAGO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Chile began compulsory in-person classes on Wednesday for all students in the country, amid special health protocols to prevent COVID-19 infections and with almost 90 percent of schoolchildren vaccinated against the virus, President Sebastian Pinera said.

On the first day of in-person classes, Pinera stressed that school is a safe place because "all precautions and protocols" have been taken.

According to the Presidency, the Ministry of Education provided the country's educational facilities with protocols on health measures and epidemiological surveillance.

These include permanent ventilation of classrooms and common spaces, the use of masks according to World Health Organization recommendations and hand-washing routines every two or three hours.

In addition, capacity restrictions within educational establishments have been eliminated due to the high level of immunization among students, Pinera stated.