17. a. The board shall:
(1) Establish standards for continuing HVACR education, including the subject matter and content of courses of study, the selection of instructors, and the number and type of continuing education credits required of a licensed Master HVACR contractor as a condition for biennial license renewal, except that the number of credits required shall not exceed five in any biennial license period;
(2) Approve educational programs offering credit towards the continuing HVACR education requirements; and
(3) Approve other equivalent educational programs, and shall establish procedures for the issuance of credit upon satisfactory proof of the completion of these programs.
b. In the case of education courses and programs, each hour of instruction shall be equivalent to one credit.