(a) Every person whose conduct complies with institutional rules and who demonstrates a desire for self-improvement by successfully participating in an academic or vocational program, including special education and Graduate Equivalency Diploma programs, shall earn educational good time credits of no less than 3 days a month and not more than 5 days a month.
(b) Educational good time credits authorized by the provisions of this section shall be applied to the person’s minimum term of imprisonment to determine the date of eligibility for release on parole and to the person’s maximum term of imprisonment to determine the date when release on parole becomes mandatory.