AFRICA Check, a non-profit organisation that seeks to promote accuracy in public debate and the media in Africa, is calling for entries from practising journalists for the 2019 fact-checking award.

The award, which is in its sixth year, is aimed at celebrating and honouring works by Africa-based journalists in the growing field of fact-checking.

Entries for the award have continued to increase, according to Noko Makgato, Deputy Director at Africa Check, from more than 40 journalists across 10 countries in 2014 to over 150 entries from more than 20 countries in 2018.

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“The role of information – and misinformation – in influencing public policy has in recent times been sharply thrust to the fore,” Makgato said.

“The increased interest every year in fact-checking can only help strengthen the quality of public debate, and hopefully, improve the quality of life across the continent. We look forward to even more entries this year.”

The 2019 categories include: Fact-check of the year by a working journalist, Fact-check of the year by a student, and one runner-up in each of the two categories.

“Entries must have been published or broadcast between 1 September 2018 – 30 June 2019. They should have exposed as misleading or wrong a claim on an important topic made by a public figure or institution in Africa,” read a statement by Africa Check on Wednesday.

“The winner of the awards for best fact-checking report by a working journalist will get a prize of $2,000, while the runner-up will be awarded $1,000. The winner of the award for best fact-checking report by a student journalist will get a prize of $1,000, and the runner-up $500.”

Entries close at midnight GMT on 30 June 2019.

Interested journalists can apply here.

The 2018 edition of the fact-checking award was won by The ICIR’s Chikezie Omeje with a fact-check story on the wrong statistics of preschool enrolment in Nigeria.