Schools and parents, especially fathers, should pay special attention to the education of boys to avoid the occurrence of more "sissy boys", an education expert warned.

Chen Jianxiang, director of the Home Education Research Center at Beijing Normal University, said action should be taken both at school and home, to nurture independence and a sense of responsibility among Chinese boys.

Chen made the remarks in Beijing on Wednesday, when the center, together with the China Children and Teenagers' Fund and the Buick division of General Motors released a survey about home education.

The survey polled more than 40,000 Chinese families with children up to 10 years old, and found that fathers spend less time than mothers with their children, whether the children are doing homework, playing games or participating in sports.

Chen said the absence of fathers' influence on their sons is a major reason Chinese society is producing boys with weak male attributes.

Concerns have long been expressed in some quarters about Chinese boys becoming "girlish". Many are criticized for lagging behind girls in academic performance and emotional maturity.

A news report by New York Times in February said Chinese educators are working to emphasize traditional gender roles and values at school out of a concern that the shortage of male teachers is producing a generation of effeminate boys.

While granting the importance of school education, Chen sees greater value in a father's role at home.

"If a father spends too little time with the son, the boy may have nowhere to find his mighty, masculine role model, which is of great significance in helping a boy become a man," Chen said.

To improve the situation, Li Yiman, a children's book writer and a father of two, suggested that fathers accompanying children to read books, or reading to their kids, would be a good start.

"When reading a book together, fathers often hold children in their arms. They let the children sit on their knee and talk to them," Li said. "It's a relaxing activity that doesn't take much time but can add to the intimacy and communication between fathers and their children."