The fact that you are suggesting they are being spied upon would suggest the person has to worry about what they are doing. The fact is that most teachers here are not experienced and need someone with more experience to guide them to having a better class. Its only the people with a negative perspective that would see this as an intrusion and not accept help in whatever for it takes.
As for Universities being the better option I would strongly disagree with you. I have worked at both the universities as well well as training schools and I will never again work at another university as long as I live in China. The attitudes of the staff, management and students is reprehensible. They look at us as foreign monkeys meant to entertain the students and make them happy. Any serious learning is regarded as insignifigant and pointless. There is no curriculum nor any guidelines for teaching the students. SHI DA is Fujians number one university so you can imagine what the rest of them are like. After they pass the big test out of middle school the students learning is finished. I have been told this by students and chinese teachers. They finish their four years of having a good time away from their parents and move on to the work world with hardly any ability. I know this is a sweeping generalization but it appears that these postings support this kind of comment.
Why would'nt a person want "academic support" or workshops if it improves their ability to teach?